GSK’s $700M Alector bet blows up as Alzheimer’s drug flunks phase 2

Summary: GSK and Alector were testing a new drug for Alzheimer's disease called nivisnebart. Sadly, they had to stop their Phase 2 study early because the drug was not slowing down the disease. The medicine was designed to block a specific receptor in the brain to boost a helpful protein called progranulin. This protein is supposed to protect brain cells.

This failure is a massive loss. Back in 2021, GSK made a $700 million upfront bet to partner with Alector on two drugs, and now both have failed. Experts think the drugs might be having a hard time actually crossing into the brain to do their job. While the analysts were initially "energized" by the science behind it, that partnership is now effectively over. Alector is now looking forward to next year, hoping a new technology designed to cross the blood-brain barrier will finally bring some success.

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