Artiva inks landmark $1. 8 billion collab with Merck

San Diego, USA-based biotech Artiva Biotherapeutics has entered into a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) to develop novel CAR-NK cell therapies targeting solid tumors.

This is a big deal for the NK cell therapy space – Artiva's off-the-shelf manufacturing platform to increase NK cell therapy accessibility, along with their CAR-NK technology, were key factors in landing the deal.

The collaboration will leverage Artiva’s off-the-shelf allogeneic NK cell manufacturing platform, along with its proprietary CAR-NK technology. It initially includes two CAR-NK programs with an option for a third, none of which are in Artiva’s current or planned pipeline. The agreement provides that Artiva will develop the CAR-NK programs through the first GMP manufacturing campaign and IND preparation, followed by transfer to Merck for clinical and commercial development