Date: 2015-04-24
Type of information: Development agreement
Compound: MEDI4736
Company: AstraZeneca (UK) Celgene (USA - NJ)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: development commercialisation
Action mechanism: monoclonal antibody. MEDI4736 is an investigational immune checkpoint inhibitordirected against programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Signals from PD-L1 help tumours avoid detection by the immune system. MEDI4736 blocks these signals, countering the tumour’s immune-evading tactics.This antibody is directed against B7-H1, have been shown to block the interaction between B7-H1 and its receptors, PD-1 and CD80 (B7-1). This blockade may help to overcome the immunosuppressive effects of B7-H1 on anti-tumor T cells.
Disease: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma
Details: * On April 24, 2015, AstraZeneca and MedImmune, the Company’s global biologics research and development arm, today announced that they have entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement with Celgene, for the development and commercialisation of MEDI4736 across a range of blood cancers including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes and multiple myeloma. Within the collaboration, MEDI4736 will be assessed both as monotherapy and in combination with other AstraZeneca and Celgene potential and existing cancer medicines. Over time, the collaboration could expand to include other assets. The collaboration agreement will become effective upon the expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods under all applicable antitrust laws, if any, and is expected to become effective in the second quarter of 2015. AstraZeneca’s 2015 financial guidance is unaffected by today’s announcement.
Financial terms: Under the terms of the agreement, Celgene will make an upfront payment of $450 million to AstraZeneca in relation to MEDI4736. Celgene will lead on development across all clinical trials within the collaboration and will take on all research and development costs until the end of 2016, after which they will take on 75 percent of these costs. Celgene will also be responsible for global commercialisation of approved treatments. AstraZeneca will continue to manufacture and book all sales of MEDI4736 and will pay a royalty to Celgene on worldwide sales in haematological indications. The royalty rate will start at 70 percent and will decrease to approximately half of the sales of MEDI4736 in haematological indications over a period of four years.
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