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news.Infinity Pharmaceuticals and Novartis have entered into a global strategic alliance to discover, develop and commercialize drugs targeting Bcl-2 protein family members for the treatment of a broad range of cancer indications.
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Members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins have long been known to facilitate cancer cell survival. Nevertheless, it has proven difficult to disrupt their function using traditional small molecule drug approaches. The focus of Infinity and Novartis’ collaboration combines Infinity’s expertise in innovative, small molecule chemistries and mechanisms of cancer cell survival with Novartis’ leadership in cancer drug discovery and development in order to bring important therapies to patients worldwide.
Under the terms of the agreement, Infinity will receive $30 million in upfront license fees, an equity investment and committed research funding over the first two years of the relationship. Along with success-based milestones, total payments to Infinity could exceed $400 million.
In addition, Infinity will receive royalties upon successful commercialization of products developed in the alliance. In further support of the company, Novartis will invest in an Infinity public offering, should it occur within two years.
The two companies will conduct joint research to identify molecules for clinical development and, thereafter, Infinity may participate in clinical development, which will be led by Novartis worldwide. Upon commercialization, Infinity has an option to co-commercialize Bcl-2 family inhibitors in the US
“This collaboration in an area with as much potential as Bcl-2 antagonism represents an opportunity for a significant advancement in the creation of important new therapies for cancer patients,” said Dr Julian Adams, chief scientific officer of Infinity. “Infinity is delighted that Novartis has expanded beyond our existing chemistry technology alliance into this product discovery, development and commercialization partnership.”
In January 2005, Infinity and Novartis announced a separate alliance in which Infinity is using its DOS chemistry technologies to create a unique compound collection for use in each company’s own, independent drug discovery and development efforts.
Infinity’s Bcl-2 inhibitors, generated independently by Infinity outside the scope of the existing Novartis compound collaboration, provide both companies the opportunity to extend their relationship into the optimization, clinical development and marketing of DOS-originated drug candidates.