 Based on the view that active Aβ immunotherapy has disease-modifying potential both in animal models of AD and in patients, and on the knowledge gathered on the side-effects of Aβ-based immunotherapy encountered in humans, we designed a new generation of AD vaccines. Rather than using full length Aβ itself, we choose to use mimotopes of the N-terminal end of Aβ as the antigenic component of our vaccine Mimotopes discovered by Affiris GmbH have been termed AFFITOPES. Mimotopes are peptides that functionally mimic the native antigenic epitope but do not show sequence identity to it. Thus, while being different from the original antigen, mimotopes are recognized by the same antibodies and, vice versa, are capable of inducing antibodies that cross-react with the original antigen itself. A major advantage offered by mimotopes is the lack of tolerance mechanisms that would prevent the induction of an immune response to it as is the case with self peptidesproteins such as Aβ. To further increase the vaccines safety profile, the length of the mimotope used was limited to preclude the elicitation of Aβ-specific T cells. Also, the mimotope used has been designed to generate antibodies directed exclusively to Aβ i.e., they do not recognize parental APP itself. To provide helper epitopes for the generation of an antibody response, the mimotope is coupled to a carrier. 