The agreement will focus on drugs that are linked to apoE-regulated mechanisms in the body, which were discovered by the Gladstone Institutes.
The deal provides Merck with an exclusive license to research, develop and commercialize compounds that are directed to apoE-regulated pathways.
Under the terms of the agreement, Gladstone will receive a $3.25 million upfront payment. For at least four years, Gladstone will also receive substantial funding for apoE research conducted at the Gladstone Institutes.
“After more than 25 years of Gladstone research on apoE and its role in both cardiovascular and neurological diseases, this partnership provides great hope for a therapeutic agent targeting the detrimental effects of the apoE4 isoform,” said Robert Mahley, president of the Gladstone Institutes. “Our research into apoE has identified a number of strategies for preventing the progress of Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.”