AstraZeneca’s recently-acquired Alexion unit is paying $150m upfront to buy the remainder of Caelum Biosciences and its late-stage therapy for light chain  amyloidosis, a rare disease in which misfolded amyloid proteins build up in organs throughout the body, including the heart and kidneys.

The company intends to use the series B cash to bring the first of its pan-amyloid removal (PAR) therapies into the clinic, while also advancing a diagnostic tool for systemic amyloidosis.

Some big pharma R&D leaders have signaled enhanced interest in neuroscience R&D – and Alzheimer's more specifically – following FDA's approval of Biogen's Aduhelm based on biomarkers.

The deal leaves PRX004 in the capable hands of Novo Nordisk, which is hoping to expand beyond obesity and diabetes, while Prothena can focus on the rest of its pipeline.