Overview
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companies_alector["Alector, Inc."]
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companies_alector_0["Company Information"]
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companies_alector_1["Funding History"]
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companies_alector_2["Clinical Pipeline"]
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companies_alector_3["AL101 PGRN-Ab Lead Program"]
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companies_alector_4["AL002"]
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companies_alector_5["AL137-ABC"]
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Alector is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in South San Francisco, California, focused on developing novel immuno-neurology therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The company's approach targets the immune system as a central mechanism for treating Alzheimer's disease and other conditions.[@alector]
...Overview
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
Alector is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in South San Francisco, California, focused on developing novel immuno-neurology therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The company's approach targets the immune system as a central mechanism for treating Alzheimer's disease and other conditions.[@alector]
| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Ticker | NASDAQ: ALEC |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Headquarters | South San Francisco, CA, USA |
| Focus | Immuno-neurology, neurodegenerative diseases |
| Status | Public company |
Funding History
| Year | Event | Amount |
|------|-------|--------|
| 2019 | IPO | ~$120 million |
| 2021 | Series C | $226 million |
| 2024 | Series D | $150 million |
Clinical Pipeline
AL101 (PGRN-Ab) — Lead Program
| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Mechanism | Progranulin antibody |
| Indication | Alzheimer's disease |
| Phase | Phase 2 |
| Partner | GSK (50-50 US profit share, tiered double-digit royalties ex-US) |
AL101 is Alector's lead clinical program, designed to increase progranulin levels. Developed in collaboration with GSK with U.S. 50-50 profit share and co-promote with tiered double-digit royalties outside the US.
AL002
| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Mechanism | TREM2 agonist with Alector Brain Carrier (ABC) |
| Indication | Alzheimer's disease |
| Phase | Phase 2 (INVOKE-1 Trial) |
| Partner | Roche |
AL137-ABC
| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Mechanism | Anti-amyloid beta antibody with ABC |
| Indication | Alzheimer's disease |
| Stage | Preclinical |
AL050-ABC
| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Mechanism | GCase enzyme replacement therapy with ABC |
| Indications | Parkinson's disease, Gaucher disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies |
| Stage | Preclinical |
Research Pipeline
| Program | Mechanism | Indication | Stage |
|---------|-----------|------------|-------|
| AL064-ABC | Tau-siRNA | Alzheimer's disease, FTD | Research |
| ADP062-ABC | α-Syn-siRNA | Parkinson's disease | Research |
| ADP065-ABC | NLRP3-siRNA | Neuroinflammation in AD and PD | Research |
Alector Brain Carrier (ABC)
Alector's proprietary ABC platform enables delivery of therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier:
- Brain Targeting: Enhanced delivery to central nervous system
- Multiple Modalities: Antibodies, enzymes, siRNA
- Versatility: Platform applicable across multiple programs
Alector's immuno-neurology platform focuses on:
- TREM2 Agonists: Activating TREM2 receptors on microglia to enhance amyloid clearance
- Progranulin Modulators: Increasing progranulin levels to address genetic forms of neurodegeneration
- Immune System Reprogramming: Harnessing the brain's immune system to clear pathological proteins
Mechanism of Action
TREM2 Approach
TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2) is a receptor on microglia that plays a critical role in the brain's immune response to amyloid plaques. Mutations in TREM2 are associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.[@trem2021] Alector's TREM2 agonists aim to:
- Enhance microglial activity
- Improve clearance of amyloid-beta plaques
- Reduce neuroinflammation
Progranulin Approach
Progranulin is a protein that helps regulate lysosomal function and immune responses. Loss-of-function mutations in the GRN gene lead to reduced progranulin and cause frontotemporal dementia. AL001 and AL101 aim to increase progranulin levels to restore normal lysosomal function.[@progranulin2020]
Clinical Development
INVOKE-2 Trial (AL001)
- Phase 3 trial in patients with biomarker-positive Alzheimer's disease
- Targeting patients with elevated amyloid and/or tau biomarkers
- Discontinued in 2024
INVOKE-1 Trial (AL002)
- Phase 2 trial evaluating AL002 in early Alzheimer's disease
- Partnership with Roche for development and commercialization
AL101 Development
- Phase 2 trials for Alzheimer's disease
- Ongoing collaboration with GSK
Key People
- Arnon Rosenthal (Co-founder and CEO)
- Dr. Robert W. (Chief Scientific Officer)
- Dr. Sarah M. (Chief Medical Officer)
Research Partnerships
- GSK: AL101 collaboration (50-50 US profit share)
- Roche: AL002 strategic partnership
- Multiple academic collaborations for biomarker development
Competitive Landscape
| Company | Drug | Target | Status |
|---------|------|--------|--------|
| Alector | AL101 | Progranulin | Phase 2 |
| Alector | AL002 | TREM2 | Phase 2 |
| Eli Lilly | Donanemab | Amyloid | Approved |
| Eisai/Biogen | Leqembi | Amyloid | Approved |
| Biogen | BIIB080 | Tau ASO | Phase 1/2 |
Relevance to Neurodegeneration
Alector's programs target key mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases:
- [Microglia](/cell-types/microglia) — Immune cells in the brain
- [TREM2](/genes/trem2) — Microglial receptor for amyloid clearance
- [Progranulin](/proteins/progranulin) — Lysosomal function regulator
- [Amyloid-beta](/proteins/amyloid-beta) — Primary AD pathology
- [Tau](/proteins/tau) — Neurofibrillary tangles
- [Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
- [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
- [Frontotemporal Dementia](/diseases/frontotemporal-dementia)
See Also
- [TREM2](/genes/trem2)
- [Progranulin](/proteins/progranulin)
- [GRN Gene](/genes/grn)
- [Microglia](/cell-types/microglia)
- [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
- [Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
- [Frontotemporal Dementia](/diseases/frontotemporal-dementia)
- [Dementia with Lewy Bodies](/diseases/dementia-with-lewy-bodies)
- [GSK](/organizations/gsk)
- [Roche](/organizations/roche)
- [Amyloid-beta](/mechanisms/amyloid-aggregation) — Primary AD pathology
- [Tau](/proteins/tau) — Neurofibrillary tangles
Cross-References
- [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
- [TREM2](/proteins/trem2)](/proteins)
- [Progranulin](/biomarkers/progranulin)
- [Microglia](/cell-types/microglia)
- [Amyloid](/mechanisms/amyloid-aggregation) Pathology
- [Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
- [Frontotemporal Dementia](/diseases/frontotemporal-dementia)
External Links
- [Alector Website](https://www.alector.com)
- [ClinicalTrials.gov](https://clinicaltrials.gov)
References
Unknown, Alector Company Website (n.d.)
PMID: 34534189(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34534189/)
[Unknown, Progranulin and Neurodegeneration - Cell 2020 (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32877978/)Pathway Diagram
The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving Alector, Inc. discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis:
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)