Swiss drugmaker Novartis has announced it will cooperate with US biopharmaceutical group Amgen to develop and sell neuroscience treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and migraine headaches.

Under the terms of the arrangement, financial terms of which were not disclosed, the two companies will share responsibility for development and commercialization of the Novartis BACE inhibitor program.

Novartis’ oral therapy CNP520 – said to have potential to prevent, slow or delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s – will be the lead molecule. Amgen will make an upfront payment and milestone payments as well as covering disproportional R&D costs for an agreed upon period followed by a 50:50 cost and profit share arrangement.

For compounds in the migraine field, Novartis will receive global co-development rights and commercial rights outside the US, Canada and Japan to the investigative molecules in Amgen's migraine portfolio.

The migraine collaboration will focus on Amgen’s AMG 334 in phase III and AMG 301 in phase I. The companies will also have an option to commercialize an additional early-stage Amgen molecule in these territories. Novartis will fund disproportional global R&D expenses for an agreed period on the migraine programs and will pay Amgen double-digit royalties on sales.

“This Novartis collaboration with Amgen highlights our clear commitment to neuroscience and to bring multiple, new targeted therapies to patients living with Alzheimer's disease and migraine, where the unmet medical need remains high,” said David Epstein, head of Novartis Pharmaceuticals.