Roche Abandons Tau Antibody Project, Returns Rights to UCB After $120M Investment

Return of Rights:
Roche has returned the rights to UCB's anti-tau antibody bepranemab, effectively ending their collaboration on the Alzheimer's disease drug.

Initial Investment:
Roche initially invested $120 million in the project in 2020, under a worldwide, exclusive license agreement with UCB for the global development and commercialization of bepranemab (UCB0107).

Development Timeline:
The collaboration lasted for approximately 4 years before Roche decided to walk away from the project.

Challenges with Tau Antibodies:
The development of tau monoclonal antibodies faces numerous obstacles, making it challenging to achieve success in treating Alzheimer's disease.

Future Prospects:
Despite this setback, there is ongoing research and development in the field, with other companies exploring different approaches to treating Alzheimer's disease.