Novartis

Chinese biotech firm SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals has partnered with Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis in a deal worth nearly $1.7 billion to develop treatments for Alzheimer's disease, which affects some 55 million people worldwide. The agreement grants Novartis exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise SciNeuro's antibody candidates for the progressive brain disease. SciNeuro's novel amyloid beta-targeted antibody programme leverages proprietary blood-brain barrier shuttle technology to help more of the drug cross into the brain where Alzheimer's damage occurs.