Roche and Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp. announced that Roche has acquired an exclusive worldwide license to develop promising compounds for Alzheimer's disease. In addition, Roche and Memory will develop compounds within the same drug class for other indications, such as depression. The first drug candidate represents a novel approach and shows promising features compared with existing therapies for Alzheimer's disease. It is scheduled to enter human clinical trials in the near future. Memory's compounds will complement Roche's neurology portfolio, and the collaboration will also broaden efforts in discovery of drug treatments for psychiatric diseases.

"Our strategy is to discover and develop drugs that address key unmet medical needs such as Alzheimer's disease. By in-licensing Memory's compounds we complement our research pipeline in the area of Alzheimer's with a candidate that has great potential to address the challenge of this debilitating disease," said William M. Burns, Head of Roche's Pharmaceuticals Division.

Roche will make up-front, research & development funding, and milestone payments to Memory. Assuming that all potential milestones are achieved, the deal will amount to approximately 150 million US dollars. Roche will also pay Memory royalties on product sales.

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disease, of which the cause is still unknown. Alzheimer's disease typically strikes between the ages of 50 and 60 and is characterised by the gradual death and disappearance of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. Early clinical signs include marked forgetfulness in episodes of mental confusion. In advanced stages, memory is almost completely obliterated, and the disabling effects of the disease are so severe that patients require institutional care.