– Phase 1b results offer early positive signal of checkpoint immunotherapy in a clinical setting for Alzheimer’s

NEW YORK, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ImmunoBrain, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the peer-reviewed publication in Nature Medicine of Phase 1b data from IBC-01-01 evaluating IBC-Ab002, its investigational anti-PD-L1 antibody, in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. The publication coincides with a late-breaking presentation at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2026, highlighting that beyond demonstrating safety, which was the primary endpoint, the study generated encouraging fluid biomarker data, showing trends in reductions in biomarkers associated with neuronal and synaptic damage.

Together, the publication and presentation underscore growing momentum of ImmunoBrain’s checkpoint immunotherapy platform, which uses a peripheral-immune approach distinct from antibody programs that target the pathological proteins or cells in the brain directly. By restoring this protective immune response, the investigational therapy may support the brain in coping with the multiple factors that drive disease progression.

The Nature Medicine publication – Immunotherapy with a short-lived anti-PD-L1 antibody in Alzheimer’s disease: a phase 1b, randomized, double-blind trial – places the clinical findings in the context of ImmunoBrain’s broader scientific approach. Key highlights to note:

This Phase 1b trial, conducted by ImmunoBrain in 11 centers in the United Kingdom, Israel, and the Netherlands, was based upon more than 25 years of pioneering research by Professor Michal Schwartz at the Weizmann Institute, which uncovered the unexpected role of the immune system in maintaining brain health and promoting brain repair.
At the end of the 48-week trial using a novel short-acting checkpoint inhibitor, most patients receiving the highest dose showed reductions across a panel of neuronal and synaptic biomarkers, including neurogranin, total Tau, and pTau181, in cerebrospinal fluid. The treatment was shown to achieve target engagement, and to be well tolerated at all doses.
Safety and tolerability profile support further evaluation of IBC-Ab002 as a differentiated checkpoint immunotherapy approach in Alzheimer’s disease.

“Our approach, the first of its kind, aims to restore the immune system’s ability to protect and repair the brain,” says Professor Schwartz. “It is deeply rewarding to see how curiosity-driven research that challenged the long-standing dogma that the brain is isolated from the immune system has led to a paradigm shift in our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. By targeting a common repair pathway rather than the primary cause of the disease, this work has now translated into encouraging clinical results.”

About IBC-Ab002

IBC-Ab002 is ImmunoBrain’s proprietary, fully human anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody. It is an Fc-modified antibody designed based on its mechanism of action in neurodegenerative diseases, where the therapeutic benefit is Cmax-dependent rather than driven by continuous exposure. Its short half-life, together with intermittent administration, is intended to minimize exposure during chronic dosing, thereby reducing immunological risk associated with long exposure to such antibodies without compromising efficacy. The company recently completed its Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with Alzheimer’s disease [NCT05551741], supported in part by grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer’s Association. The company is currently designing the protocol for the next phase of clinical development.

About ImmunoBrain

ImmunoBrain is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a differentiated approach to treat neurodegenerative diseases by activating the peripheral immune system to support brain protection and repair. The company’s approach builds on more than 25 years of research led by Scientific Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Professor Michal Schwartz, Ph.D., and her team at the Weizmann Institute of Science, who discovered that the brain is tightly dependent on the viability of the immune system, which plays a critical role in protecting and repairing the brain, but declines with aging.

Disclaimer

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and is intended to summarize scientific information regarding ongoing clinical research and related publication and conference activities. IBC-Ab002 is an investigational product and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory authority for the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. Statements regarding IBC-Ab002, the IBC-01-01 Phase 1b trial, and related biomarker or other clinical observations are based on early-stage clinical research and should not be interpreted as establishing the safety or efficacy of IBC-Ab002 or any other investigational product. Additional studies, regulatory review, and further analysis will be required, and future results may differ materially from the results or observations described in this release. Nothing in this release should be construed as a representation regarding the regulatory status, approval, commercial availability, or future clinical or regulatory success of IBC-Ab002. Research reported in this press release was supported in part by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01AG071810. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

IR and Media Contact:
[email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2770434/ImmunoBrain_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/immunobrain-announces-nature-medicine-publication-and-late-breaking-aaic-2026-presentation-for-ibc-ab002-in-early-alzheimers-disease-302825190.html