Alexion Pharmaceuticals, a New Haven, Connecticut-based pharmaceutical company, and Complement Pharma, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, have partnered to co-develop Complement Pharma’s preclinical C6 complement inhibitor for treating neurodegenerative disorders.

C6 inhibition prevents the formation of the destructive membrane attack complex (MAC), a complex of terminal complement proteins that mediate cellular injury following complement activation and has the potential to treat central nervous system disorders, according to information from Alexion.

Under the agreement, Alexion will provide Complement Pharma with up to EUR 14 million ($16 million) in milestone-dependent payments through Phase Ib development. The agreement also provides Alexion with the option to acquire Complement Pharma during the term of the agreement. Per the deal, the two companies will collaborate on the development program for the C6 inhibitor. Complement Pharma will be responsible for conducting preclinical and Phase I studies and for manufacturing of the inhibitor. The phased agreement extends through the completion of Phase Ib development. Alexion has the option to acquire Complement Pharma during the term of this agreement as well.

The C6 inhibitor is a humanized monoclonal antibody in preclinical development that binds to C6 in circulation to inhibit its function throughout the body by preventing MAC formation in both the periphery and the central nervous system, according to information from Alexion. It has demonstrated C6 inhibition in vitro and in vivo, notes the company.

Source: Alexion Pharmaceuticals