Alector, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALEC) has entered into an exclusive global licensing agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, granting Genentech worldwide rights to develop and commercialize AL050, Alector's investigational brain-penetrant glucocerebrosidase (GCase) enzyme replacement therapy, according to a press release.

Under the terms of the agreement, Alector will receive an upfront payment of $100 million, with potential additional payments of up to $1.17 billion tied to development, regulatory, and commercial milestones. Alector is also eligible for tiered royalties on net sales. Genentech will be responsible for development, regulatory, manufacturing, and commercialization across all indications.

AL050 is designed to address GCase deficiency, a factor in Parkinson's Disease neurodegeneration, particularly in carriers of GBA1 mutations. The therapy pairs an engineered GCase enzyme with Alector's proprietary Alector Brain Carrier (ABC) technology, which is intended to transport therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier.

Alector retains ownership of the ABC platform and full rights to apply it across its pipeline. The company said the partnership extends its cash runway into 2029.

"Deficient GCase activity is increasingly recognized as a contributor to Parkinson's Disease, and there is still no approved therapy that addresses the underlying enzyme deficiency," said Arnon Rosenthal, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Alector.

Alector plans to host a scientific webinar on October 13, 2026, focused on three other pipeline programs: AL137, its brain-enabled anti-amyloid beta antibody; AL164, its tau siRNA program; and AL062, its alpha-synuclein siRNA program.