Date: 2017-01-11
Type of information: Licensing agreement
Compound: four research and development programs (VX-970, VX-803, VX-984)
Company: Merck KGaA (Germany) Vertex Pharmaceuticals (USA - MA)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: development licensing commercialisation
Action mechanism:
Disease:
Details: * On January 11, 2017, Merck KGaA announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for the worldwide development and commercialisation of four promising research and development programs that represent novel approaches to the treatment of cancer.
As part of the agreement, Merck KGaA will license two clinical-stage programs targeting DNA damage and repair, along with two additional novel pre-clinical programs. Merck KGaA will assume full responsibility for the development and commercialization of all the programs.
The two clinical-stage programs represent first-in-class approaches to inhibit the DNA repair pathways that are fundamental to the survival and proliferation of certain cancers:
• An ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) program comprised of two compounds, VX-970 and VX-803. VX-970 is being investigated broadly through 10 ongoing Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials across a variety of tumors
and patient subtypes expected to be responsive to ATR inhibition based on biomarker data. Preliminary VX-970 clinical data were presented at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the 2016 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. VX-803 is an orally dosed ATR inhibitor currently in Phase 1 trials evaluating escalating doses of VX-803 alone and in combination with chemotherapy.
• A DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibitor program including the clinical candidate VX-984. A Phase 1 trial is now evaluating escalating doses of VX-984 alone and in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in subjects with advanced solid tumors. Merck KGaA will combine these assets with its existing DNA-PK assets into a single development program.
The preclinical programs include one immuno-oncology program against an attractive target with first-in-class potential, and a program against a completely novel target. For both of these programs, Vertex research has demonstrated efficacy in relevant preclinical models, including demonstration of combination potential with
immune checkpoint inhibition for the immuno-oncology program. Merck KGaA will continue to characterize the Vertex compounds in these programs with the goal of taking them forward into the clinic.
Financial terms: Vertex will receive an upfront payment of $230 million, in addition to royalties on future net sales.
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