Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Co-Founded by Professor Bill Klein, is Awarded “Monoclonal Antibody Solution of the Year”
November 17, 2023
On November 8, Acumen Pharmaceutics announced that it was awarded “Monoclonal Antibody Solution of the Year” by the BioTech Breakthrough Awards program. Acumen, which was co-founded by the Department of Neurobiology's Professor Bill Klein, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel therapeutic that targets soluble amyloid beta oligomers (AβOs) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Acumen was recognized for antibody ACU193, which represents the culmination of an antibody program that begun in the Klein lab here at Northwestern.
The results of Acumen's Phase 1 clinical trial of the Abeta oligomer-selective antibody for treating Alzheimers compared favorably with the antibody approved for Alzheimer’s treatment this summer by the FDA (Leqembi, from Eisai/Biogen). Recieving the prestigious Breakthrough Award is consistent with the trials favorable results and is important recognition from BioTech Breakthrough, an organization that "evaluates and recognizes standout life sciences and biotechnology companies, products and services around the globe". Acumen expects to begin its Phase 2/3 trial in the first half of 2024