Internationally Renowned Neurologist Dr. Juan Fortea Joins AC Immune’s Clinical Advisory Board
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AC Immune SA (NASDAQ: ACIU), a Swiss-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a broad pipeline focused on neurodegenerative diseases, today announced Dr. Juan Fortea, an internationally renowned neurologist with a specific focus in the emerging field of Down syndrome-related Alzheimer’s disease, is to join the Company’s Clinical Advisory Board (CAB).
Dr Fortea combines his research and clinical activities at the Hospital of Sant Pau in Barcelona and the Catalan Foundation for Down Syndrome in Barcelona, Spain, where he leads the neuroimaging laboratory and directs the Alzheimer’s Disease and Down Syndrome Unit. He has extensive experience in clinical practice and in medical research, with a focus on the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome-related Alzheimer’s disease. His expertise is recognized internationally, as an active participant of the NIA-N Study section, National Institutes of Health (US), the International Scientific Committee of the Jerome Lejeune Foundation (France) as well as at the Clinical Research Committee from the Trisomy 21 Research Society and the Down Syndrome Professional Interest Area, Alzheimer’s Association (US). He is also the current Chair of the Behavioral Neurology and Dementia Study Group at the Spanish Neurological Society.Dr. Fortea has also authored or coauthored more than 130 publications in peer-reviewed journals and is the coordinator of a worldwide pioneering population based health plan for adults with Down syndrome in Catalonia. This program is the foundation for the Down Alzheimer Barcelona Neuroimaging Initiative (DABNI), the largest single center cohort with multimodal biomarker studies to study Alzheimer´s disease pathophysiology in Down syndrome.Prof. Andrea Pfeifer, CEO of AC Immune SA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Fortea to AC Immune’s Clinical Advisory Board. AC Immune has the world’s most advanced development program for an anti-Abeta vaccine to treat Down syndrome-related Alzheimer’s disease and Dr. Fortea’s expertise in this area will be invaluable as we progress the ACI-24 in Down syndrome research program into Phase 2 of clinical development later this year. Individuals with Down syndrome continue to be an underrepresented, overlooked population at increased risk from Alzheimer’s-like disease. As we mark this year’s World Down Syndrome Day, we look forward to working in partnership with Dr. Fortea and the Down syndrome community to advance clinical development.”The CAB provides AC Immune with strategic clinical development and regulatory advice related to its broad pipeline in neurodegenerative diseases. Members of the CAB are selected based on their expertise and peer recognition in the medical field.The CAB is headed by Dr. Andreas Monsch of the University Center for Medicine of Aging, Basel (Switzerland). The other members are Dr. Reisa Sperling, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (US); Dr. Murat Emre, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul (Turkey); Dr. Lon Schneider, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Dr. Pierre Tariot, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ (US).About AC Immune SAAC Immune SA is a Nasdaq-listed clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, which aims to become a global leader in precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. The Company utilizes two proprietary platforms, SupraAntigenTM and MorphomerTM, to design, discover and develop small molecule and biological therapeutics as well as diagnostic products intended to diagnose, prevent and modify neurodegenerative diseases caused by misfolding proteins. The Company’s pipeline features nine therapeutic and three diagnostic product candidates, with six currently in clinical trials. It has collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies including Roche/Genentech, Eli Lilly and Company and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. For further information, please contact:Forward looking statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical fact and may include statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or AC Immune’s strategies or expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “potential,” “outlook” or “continue,” and other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include those described under the captions “Item 3. Key Information – Risk Factors” and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” in AC Immune’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and AC Immune does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
