Globenewswire·2025-10-24 12:50Core Insights - AC Immune SA has published preclinical data on its first-in-class TDP-43 PET tracer, ACI-19626, which shows potential for precision medicine in neurodegenerative diseases [2][4][6] Group 1: TDP-43 and Neurodegenerative Diseases - TDP-43 is a key component in the pathology of several neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, FTD, LATE, and is also associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases [3][6] - The shared clinical features of these diseases complicate differential diagnosis, highlighting the need for reliable biomarkers [3][6] Group 2: ACI-19626 PET Tracer Characteristics - ACI-19626 demonstrates high specificity and selectivity for pathological TDP-43 aggregates, with rapid brain uptake and fast washout, indicating its potential for effective imaging in living patients [4][7] - The tracer shows excellent selectivity for TDP-43 over common co-pathologies such as Abeta, Tau, and alpha-synuclein, with no off-target binding against a wide range of receptors and enzymes [7] Group 3: Clinical Development and Future Prospects - ACI-19626 has been advanced into a Phase 1 clinical study, with initial readout expected in Q4 2025, aiming to facilitate the detection of TDP-43 pathology in patients [6][8] - The CEO of AC Immune emphasized the potential of accurate PET imaging to improve diagnosis and enable earlier therapeutic interventions, which could significantly impact clinical trial design and patient stratification [5][6]