Alector soars as Roche licenses Parkinson's therapy for up to $1.27 billion

Oct 5 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Roche will pay up to $1.27 billion to license Alector's experimental treatment for Parkinson's disease, the US biotech said on Monday, sending its shares surging 72% in premarket trading.

Genentech, a unit of Roche, will pay Alector $100 million upfront and up to $1.17 billion more if the treatment reaches development, regulatory and sales targets. Alector is also eligible for royalties.

Here are some details:

• The agreement grants Genentech exclusive worldwide rights to develop, make and sell AL050, an experimental treatment designed to address a lack of an enzyme linked to Parkinson's disease

• Genentech will be responsible for development, regulatory submissions, manufacturing and commercialization of the treatment

• AL050 is an enzyme replacement therapy designed to address the deficiency of the GCase enzyme that leads to the buildup of certain fats and a higher risk of Parkinson's disease

• The deal is the latest in a series of licensing agreements by Roche as it works to expand its drug pipeline

• In June, Roche agreed a licensing and collaboration deal with Nurix Therapeutics worth up to $2.3 billion for a blood cancer drug

(Reporting by Padmanabhan Ananthan in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)