Merck has entered a global strategic oncology collaboration to jointly develop and commercialise AstraZeneca’s lynparza (olaparib) for the treatment of multiple cancer types.
Lynparza is a new, first-in-class oral poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that can exploit tumour DNA damage response (DDR) pathway deficiencies to preferentially kill cancer cells.
Go deeper with GlobalData
As part of the collaboration, Merck will pay AstraZeneca up to $8.5bn in total consideration, including $1.6bn upfront, $750m for certain licence options and up to $6.15bn contingent upon successful attainment of future regulatory and sales milestones.
Approximately 14 indications of lynparza are currently being developed across a wide range of tumour types, including breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers.
In addition, lynparza is approved for BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer in multiple lines of treatment.
Under the deal, the companies will co-develop and co-commercialise Lynparza, both as monotherapy and in combination with other potential medicines.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataIndependently, the two companies will develop and market the treatment in combination with their respective PD-L1 and PD-1 medicines, Imfinzi (durvalumab) and Keytruda (pembrolizumab).
The firms will also jointly develop and market AstraZeneca’s selumetinib, an oral, potent, selective inhibitor of MEK, part of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway.
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said: “Our strategic collaboration builds on scientific evidence that PARP and MEK inhibitors can be combined with PD-L1/PD-1 inhibitors for a range of tumours.
“By bringing together the expertise of two leading oncology innovators, we will accelerate Lynparza’s potential to become the preferred backbone of many immuno-oncology combination therapies as the world’s first and leading PARP inhibitor.
“This is a truly exciting step and we are pleased to work with Merck, a company that shares our passion for science to deliver new medicines for cancer patients.”
Selumetinib is currently being developed for multiple indications, including thyroid cancer.
