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news.US-based Mersana Therapeutics has entered into an agreement with Merck's biopharmaceutical division EMD Serono, to jointly develop next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
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Mersana’s Fleximer technology will be used in the development of ADCs for multiple undisclosed targets.
The two firms will test a variety of ADCs by using Mersana’s platform technologies and several cytotoxic agents as conjugates.
As part of the deal, Merck will provide monoclonal antibodies to Mersana, which will generate the Fleximer-ADCs and conduct drug discovery and preclinical development activities.
Merck will also be responsible for clinical development and commercialization of any products under an exclusive license from Mersana.
Apart from an upfront payment, Mersana is also eligible to secure milestones plus royalties on worldwide net sales of products.
Merck Serono head of the Translational Innovation Platform Oncology Andree Blaukat said the new collaboration provides an exciting opportunity to expand the company’s oncology drug discovery and development portfolio into the evolving ADC space.
"We have a long-standing commitment to improving oncology care, and we aim to deliver the best benefit possible to patients," Blaukat said.
"Partnering with Mersana allows us to incorporate cutting-edge research and technical excellence to enrich our pipeline."