Merck Serono Partners MSM

MSM Protein Technologies (MSM) has entered into a drug discovery collaboration with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, to create antibody-based products targeted to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and other possible targets in the cell membrane.

MSM is expected to provide its proprietary technology and expertise to display selected targets in their native form and work with Merck Serono’s scientists to apply these in drug discovery platforms.

As per the agreement, MSM would receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive further payments on achievement of development and commercial milestones, as well as sales of products resulting from the collaboration.

Davis Farmer, chairman of MSM, said: “We are very pleased to announce our new collaboration with Merck Serono. The terms build considerable value into MSM and offer further validation of our leadership position in the field of antibody drug discovery for complex cell surface receptors.”

Dr. Tajib Mirzabekov, chief executive officer of MSM, said: “We are very excited about this relationship because it encompasses such a powerful array of technical expertise. Merck Serono has excellent scientists in this space and we will be working shoulder to shoulder with them to identify monoclonal antibodies against very difficult and very valuable targets. Merck Serono is a first class research organization with a great network of outside collaborators in the antibody field and we are excited to be included in that group.”