The Swiss pharma giant Novartis has struck a major deal: for up to $1.67 billion, the group is securing the global rights to a new Alzheimer’s drug from the Chinese startup SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals.
Why this is important
Alzheimer’s currently affects 55 million people worldwide and will cost the global economy $2.8 trillion by 2030.
Details
💉 Cracking the "blood-brain" barrier: The main problem with Alzheimer’s medications is that the active ingredient often does not reach the brain in sufficient quantities.
- SciNeuro uses a "blood-brain barrier shuttle" technology that transports more active ingredients to where Alzheimer’s damage occurs.
đź’° Cash injection for SciNeuro: The Shanghai and Maryland-based startup will receive $165 million in cash immediately. A further $1.5 billion will follow upon reaching clinical and commercial milestones.
📊 A gigantic market: By 2050, according to the WHO, there will be 139 million Alzheimer’s patients. Japan has the highest Alzheimer’s rate worldwide with 3,080 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Italy, Slovenia, and Monaco.
Background
The deal is a mark of distinction for the Chinese biotech scene. In 2025, the industry closed deals worth a record $136 billion. The SciNeuro deal is part of a wave of Chinese innovations in areas such as weight-loss drugs and radioligand therapies.
For investors, it is clear: in 2026, the path to curing widespread diseases like Alzheimer’s inevitably leads through laboratories in Shanghai and Suzhou.
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