Merck KGaA taps AI biotech in $1.4B pact centred on ADCs

04 Apr 2024
firstwordpharma.com
ADCLicense out/inPhase 1Acquisition
Taking a cue from some of its peers, Merck KGaA is wading deeper into the space for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with a deal Thursday to partner with AI-driven biotech Caris Life Sciences.
The multi-year alliance will leverage Caris' drug-discovery platform to identify new therapeutic targets that Merck can pursue for its ADC pipeline, which at the moment consists of M9140, an anti-CEACAM5 antibody in Phase I for solid tumours.
Caris will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and research funding from Merck as part of the deal. The biotech is also eligible for up to $1.4 billion in milestones tied to discovery, development, regulatory and sales targets, as well as tiered royalties on any commercialised ADC products.
"Through close collaboration with Caris, utilising their unique discovery platform, we complement our internal ADC capabilities to develop novel first-in-class ADCs and strengthen our potential to expand our oncology portfolio," said Paul Lyne, global head of oncology research at Merck's healthcare business.
The partnership will take advantage of Caris' ADAPT Biotargeting platform, a contemporaneous patient tissue repository, and a suite of AI and machine learning capabilities – these allow Caris to uncover new therapeutic targets that can be harnessed by its biopharma partners to develop oncology therapies.
Caris will handle early-stage target discovery and validation, with Merck overseeing preclinical and clinical development, as well as commercialisation of any successful drug candidates.
The partnership comes amid a flurry of recent ADC-focused deals by biopharma companies looking to invest in this modality. This week, Ipsen committed up to $900 million to partner with Sutro Biopharma on a ROR1-targeting ADC, while Genmab struck a $1.8-billion agreement to acquire ProfoundBio, which is working on an FRα-targeted, Topo1 ADC.
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