Vaccinex, Inc. Announces $60 million Agreement to Finance a Phase 2b clinical trial of pepinemab to treat Alzheimer’s Disease

Core Insights - Vaccinex, Inc. has entered into a $60 million revenue sharing agreement with Pepinemab Development Venture, LP to advance the development of its pepinemab anti-SEMA4D antibody in a phase 2b clinical trial for Alzheimer's disease [1] - The agreement stipulates that PDV will receive 50% of future economic proceeds from Vaccinex related to neurological indications and 25% for other indications [1] Group 1: Clinical Development and Efficacy - Promising data from animal models and early clinical trials indicate that pepinemab treatment blocks harmful interactions between astrocytes and microglia, preserves vascular integrity, and downregulates AD-related proteins in cerebrospinal fluid [2] - Data from a randomized Phase 2 study in Huntington's disease and the SIGNAL-AD phase 1/2a study suggest that pepinemab is well-tolerated and may slow cognitive decline when administered early in the disease [2] Group 2: Genetic Insights and Mechanism of Action - A genetic signature associated with a unique subset of astrocytes, termed Ast10, has been linked to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's, with the SEMA4D-PLXNB1 signaling pathway identified as a key regulator [3] - Pepinemab treatment has been shown to reduce the representation of Ast10 cells in the brain, which correlates with a slowing of cognitive decline compared to placebo controls [3] Group 3: Company Overview - Vaccinex, Inc. is focused on treating neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease, through the inhibition of semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) [4] - The lead drug candidate, pepinemab, is designed to block SEMA4D, which is believed to trigger pathogenic events that drive disease progression [4]