Date: 2013-05-31
Type of information: Milestone
Compound: BeiGene-283 (BRAF inhibitor)
Company: BeiGene (China) Merck KGaA, Merck Serono (Germany)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: licensing
development
commercialisation
Action mechanism: BRAF inhibitors target a protein (BRAF) that is a downstream component of the MAPK* signaling pathway, which is thought to promote cancer cell growth and is dysregulated in a number of human cancers.
Disease:
Details: * On May 31, 2013, Merck Serono, a division of Merck, has announced that a global licensing, co-development, and commercialization agreement has been signed with BeiGene Co., Ltd., a biotech research and development company in Beijing, for BeiGene-283. The compound is a second-generation BRAF inhibitor for the treatment of cancer that is currently in preclinical development. It is expected to enter clinical development next year. It was discovered and developed in the People’s Republic of China by BeiGene.
Financial terms: Under the terms of the collaboration, BeiGene will be responsible for the development and commercialization of BeiGene-283 in the People’s Republic of China and Merck will be responsible for the development and commercialization of BGB-283 for the rest of the world. BeiGene will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible to receive further payments for the achievement of clinical development milestones in both the People’s Republic of China and rest of the world, commercial milestones, and up to double-digit royalties on net sales.
Latest news: BGB-283 entered a Phase 1 study in November 2013 and BeiGene announced a $5 million clinical milestone payment from Merck for BGB-283 in May 2014.
