More BD in Akeso’s wake: Merck buys into LaNova’s bispecific for $588M up front
Marketer of Keytruda takes rights to bifunctional molecule in class that could compete directly with its top seller
Enthusiasm for bispecifics that combine checkpoint-inhibiting and anti-angiogenesis mechanisms continued to run high this week as Merck’s $588 million in-licensing of a clinical antibody followed an $800 million takeout by just one day. The assets in both those deals, as well as the drug class’ leading program, originated at China-based biotechs.
Deal-making has intensified since a September readout showed that a bispecific PD-1 x VEGF inhibitor from Guangdong-headquartered Akeso Inc. (HKEX:9926) significantly improved survival compared with blockbuster Keytruda pembrolizumab among non-small cell lung cancer patients in a Phase III study conducted in China. The program is partnered with Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SMMT) outside Greater China...