Taiho kicks off $130M Arcus deal with drug option; J&J allies with Merck KGaA to take diabetes drug to China
→ Japan’s Taiho Pharma has decided to go for an option to develop and commercialize an adenosine receptor antagonist program from Arcus Biosciences $RCUS, triggering a payday that could be worth up to $130 million for the Hayward, CA-based biotech if all milestones are met. Signed last September, the agreement gives Taiho — an Otsuka subsidiary specializing in oncology and a co-promoter of Merck’s Keytruda in Japan — rights to AB928 in Japan and other parts of Asia, but not China. Meanwhile, Terry Rosen and his team at Arcus is gearing up for a Phase I/Ib program for the same drug in the US and Australia.
Unlock this article instantly by becoming a free subscriber.
You’ll get access to free articles each month, plus you can customize what newsletters get delivered to your inbox each week, including breaking news.
