Key points from article :
In a major development in ALS research, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has licensed a promising early-stage drug candidate from UK-based biotech Alchemab Therapeutics. The deal, announced in Fierce Biotech, is valued at up to $415 million and centers on ATLX-1282, a first-in-class preclinical therapy designed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Alchemab, known for its use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in drug discovery, will oversee early phase 1 trials of ATLX-1282. If those initial tests are successful, Lilly will take over further development and commercialization. This agreement marks the first major outcome of a January 2025 collaboration between the two companies aimed at discovering up to five novel antibodies for ALS.
ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive and fatal condition that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Though treatment options have historically been limited, recent years have seen an increase in research. Notably, Biogen and Ionis received FDA approval in 2023 for Qalsody, a drug for patients with a specific ALS gene mutation. However, the path to successful therapies remains difficult, with multiple high-profile failures in recent trials—including those from Amylyx, AbbVie-Calico, Denali, and Corcept—highlighting the urgency and challenge of developing effective treatments.
