US-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABOS) announced on Tuesday that it has entered into a strategic collaboration, option, and license agreement with Japanese pharmaceutical company JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4552) to develop an Enhanced Brain Delivery therapy targeting Alzheimer's disease.

The partnership combines Acumen's expertise in amyloid beta oligomer-selective antibodies with JCR's blood-brain barrier-penetrating technology.

Following over a year of feasibility assessments, the agreement grants Acumen exclusive rights to develop up to two candidates using JCR's transferrin receptor-targeting platform. A preclinical candidate data package, including non-human primate results, is expected in early 2026.

The collaboration aims to enhance therapeutic efficacy and brain delivery of biologics for Alzheimer's patients. JCR will receive upfront and option payments, with eligibility for future milestone payments and royalties on commercialised products.

Acumen's lead asset, sabirnetug, has shown promise in Phase 1 trials and is currently being evaluated in the Phase 2 ALTITUDE-AD trial involving 542 participants. Results from that trial are expected in late 2026.

This collaboration broadens Acumen's pipeline and aligns with its strategy to target toxic soluble amyloid beta oligomers as a potential disease-modifying approach in Alzheimer's treatment.