On Oct 24, 2025, AC Immune SA announced the publication of preclinical data in Nature Communications on its Morphomer‑based PET tracer ACI‑19626, designed to image TDP‑43 pathology in neurodegenerative diseases. The study demonstrates that ACI‑19626 has high specificity and selectivity for aggregated TDP‑43, with rapid brain uptake and rapid washout, supporting its potential to detect TDP‑43 pathology in living patients. The tracer targets protein inclusions found in ALS, frontotemporal degeneration, limbic‑predominant age‑related TDP‑43 encephalopathy, and as a co‑pathology in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
AC Immune’s CEO Andrea Pfeifer highlighted that accurate PET imaging of TDP‑43 could improve diagnosis, enable precision prevention, and accelerate drug development by allowing patient stratification and target‑engagement assessment. The company has moved ACI‑19626 into Phase 1 development and expects the first clinical readout in the fourth quarter of 2025. This milestone marks the first brain PET tracer for TDP‑43 and expands AC Immune’s diagnostic portfolio beyond amyloid and tau imaging.
The publication underscores AC Immune’s dual‑platform strategy, leveraging its Morphomer technology to create small‑molecule imaging agents while its SupraAntigen platform continues to drive therapeutic candidates. By adding a TDP‑43 imaging tool, the company strengthens its position in the rapidly growing field of protein‑misfolding diagnostics and sets the stage for future combination therapies targeting multiple neurodegenerative pathologies. The study was published in Nature Communications, a high‑impact journal, and represents a significant step toward clinical translation of AC Immune’s precision‑medicine approach.
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