NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Horizon Discovery today said that its leveraged business unit has signed a deal to license and option Servier's novel kinase inhibitors.
Under the terms of the agreement, Horizon will license the French pharmaceutical firm's kinase inhibitors that have demonstrated promise as treatments for various cancers, but which do not have a biomarker for determining which patient populations may benefit from them. Horizon will seek to identify populations likely to respond to the in-licensed compounds by leveraging its platform comprising isogenic cell lines, in vivo models, CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing technology, and ultra-high-throughput combination screening.
The UK firm will assess the mechanism of action of candidate compounds and verify the patient stratification hypothesis by in vitro and in vivo preclinical experiments, it said. It also will define a path to develop biomarkers for patient stratification and drug efficacy.
Horizon can also explore using Servier's inhibitors in other therapeutic indications, it said.
The firm valued the deal at up to £50 million ($76.5 million) in preclinical and clinical milestones, payments linked to net sales, and tiered royalties on future product sales. Under the agreement's terms, Servier has a first option to license back the assets for up to £50 million in milestones and payments, as well as royalties on product sales, that it would pay Horizon.
If Servier does not exercise the option, Horizon would be able to seek another pharma partner. It and Servier would then share in the program's success as it moves into the clinic and registration.
"This innovative deal, as part of our strategy to drive accelerated growth, offers significant upside potential for our investor built upon the leverage of our intellectual property, technology platforms, and know-how," Horizon CEO Darrin Disley said in a statement.