Novocure Ltd. and Merck & Co. Inc. will work together to test the use of electric fields at specific frequencies in combination with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to treat non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The pair plan to start a phase II pilot study during the second half of Novocure’s Tumor Treating Fields in combination with Keytruda as a first-line treatment for intrathoracic advanced or metastatic, PD-L1 positive NSCLC.
BEIJING – U.S.-Taiwan biotech Acepodia Inc., of Burlingame, Calif., and Taipei, has licensed out two of its cell therapy candidates, ACE-1702 and ACE-1655, to Chinese CAR T therapy developer JW Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize them in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Acepodia will receive up-front and milestone payments from JW Therapeutics, plus royalties on sales.
Cytokinetics Inc.’s new deal with RTW Investments gives the company a new presence in Asia and a strong influx of cash that should last at least two or three years.
DUBLIN – Blueprint Medicines Corp. is banking $775 million, including $675 million up front and another $100 million as an equity investment, from a co-commercialization deal with Roche Holding AG and its Genentech subsidiary involving RET inhibitor pralsetinib. The deal also includes up to $927 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestones, $90 million of which are described as “near-term,” plus tiered royalties on ex-U.S. sales, ranging from the high-teens to mid-twenties.
BEIJING – Besides advancing its neutralizing antibodies for COVID-19, Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd. is aiming to expand its pipeline. On July 13, it entered a collaboration with Revitope Oncology Inc.
The industry's expanding quest for protein degraders grew a little larger on July 9 with Sanofi SA tapping Kymera Therapeutics Inc. to advance two new protein degrader programs, one of which will target IRAK4 in patients with immune-inflammatory diseases and another for an undisclosed target. Each program could yield multiple therapies.
HONG KONG – Tokyo-headquartered Fujifilm Holdings Corp. will increase production of Avigan on the back of a partnership with India’s Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc. and Dubai-based Global Response Aid, an affiliate of logistics company Agility.
Privately held Foghorn Therapeutics Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., cut a collaboration deal with Merck & Co. Inc. to discover and develop therapeutics targeting the chromatin regulatory system in oncology that could eventually bring in as much as $450 million.
Zymeworks Inc.’s business update – which included a new, potential $891 million deal for multispecific antibody drugs with longtime partner Merck & Co. Inc. – drew mixed reviews from Wall Street, especially with regard to phase I prospect ZW-49.
HONG KONG – China and U.S.-based Zai Lab Ltd. has inked a deal to develop and commercialize Turning Point Therapeutics Inc.’s lead drug candidate, repotrectinib, in the greater China markets.
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