Large deal struck for Aussie cancer inhibitor drug program

In late January, a suite of drugs developed by the Cancer Therapeutics Cooperative Research Centre (CTx) was licensed to MSD (Merck) in what is believed to be one of the largest licensing deals ever made for a drug target in Australia.

The PRMT5 inhibitor drugs, which have potential clinical applications in both cancer and non-cancer blood disorders, were first discovered at the Monash Central Clinical School, and further developed by CTx in collaboration with the Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation within the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, with support from the Wellcome Trust. Cancer Research Technology (CRT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cancer Research UK (CRUK), was responsible for ‘brokering’ the licensing rights for the inhibitor program to MSD.

Under the terms of the deal, MSD will be responsible for research and development, including clinical development, and for worldwide commercialisation of products. CRT will receive an upfront payment of AU$21.3 million and is eligible to receive potential payments of up to AU$700 million for achievement of development, regulatory and commercialisation milestones. In addition, the agreement provides for royalties on sales. All payments will be shared between CRT, CTx and the Wellcome Trust with the majority being returned to CTx and its Australian research partners.

The PRMT5 protein is said to be involved in many cellular processes including the epigenetic control of genes such as p53 – a gene that protects the cell against cancer-causing mutations and is faulty in nine out of 10 cancers. High levels of PRMT5 protein are found in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), melanoma, lung and breast cancers and are linked to poor survival.

In addition to cancer applications, it is thought that PRMT5 inhibitors may provide disease-modifying treatment options for patients with blood disorders like sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. MSD will also fund a research collaboration with CTx focusing on the use of PRMT5 inhibitors in blood disorders.

According to Labiotech

This is an interesting investment by MSD, yet given the attention Australian researchers such as those at Monash have had recently, perhaps we will soon be seeing a lot more European collaborations with biotechs ‘Down Under’.


http://www.cancercrc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/PRMT5_-PressRelease.pdf

http://www.monash.edu/news/show/crt...itors-of-prmt5-for-cancer-and-blood-disorders

http://labiotech.eu/merck-cancers-wellcome-msd-cancer-research-uk-collaboration-monash/

http://www.cancercrc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/AACR-2015-final.pdf