AC Immune SA

Overview

"How the company got here" "AC Immune SA was founded in 2003 by a group of scientists, including Andrea Pfeifer, who continues to play a significant role in the company. The company went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange in 2016. AC Immune has focused on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, by leveraging its proprietary technology platforms, SupraAntigen® and Morphomer®. Over the years, the company has established strategic partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies like Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company, and Takeda, which have provided significant funding and validation for its research and development efforts. In 2026, Andrea Pfeifer transitioned from CEO to Honorary Chair of the Board and Advisor, having guided the company's growth and innovation." "What it actually does" "AC Immune SA is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on creating medicines and diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative diseases, which are illnesses that cause the progressive loss of function in nerve cells. They use advanced technology platforms, called SupraAntigen® and Morphomer®, to design treatments that target specific misfolded proteins in the brain, which are believed to cause diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The company's work involves developing therapies that can prevent, diagnose, or treat these conditions, aiming to improve the lives of patients affected by these challenging diseases." "Therapeutic Candidates" "AC Immune is developing a range of potential treatments, including active immunotherapies, which are like vaccines designed to train the body's immune system to fight disease-causing proteins, and monoclonal antibodies, which are lab-made proteins that can target specific molecules in the body. They are also working on small molecule drugs, which are traditional medications that can enter the brain to target misfolded proteins. These therapeutic candidates are aimed at diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other rare neurological conditions, often referred to as NeuroOrphan diseases." "Diagnostic Candidates" "In addition to treatments, AC Immune is developing diagnostic tools, such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracers. These tracers are special agents that can be injected into the body and detected by a PET scanner to visualize and measure the amount of specific misfolded proteins, like Tau and alpha-synuclein, in the brain. This allows for earlier and more accurate diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, helping doctors to better understand the condition of a patient and potentially tailor treatments more effectively." "What management is betting on now" "AC Immune's current strategy focuses on accelerating the development of its Alzheimer's disease therapeutics, expanding its research into Parkinson's and other rare neurodegenerative diseases, and advancing its precision medicine-enabling diagnostics. The company is prioritizing its most promising clinical-stage assets, particularly its active immunotherapy programs and small molecule candidates targeting key disease pathways. Management is also focused on securing strategic partnerships to advance its pipeline, which has historically provided significant funding and de-risked development."