Bayer signs mega-million-dollar deal with OncoMed to develop anti-cancer stem cell therapeutics

18 June 2010

It seems there is no end to the mega-dollar licensing accords that research-based drug majors are signing. The latest is that of Germany's Bayer Schering Pharma AG, which yesterday announced a global strategic alliance to discover, develop and commercialize novel anti-cancer stem cell therapeutics targeting the Wnt signaling pathway with USA-based OncoMed Pharmaceuticals.

Cancer stem cells are a subset of tumor cells believed to play a significant role in the establishment, metastasis and recurrence of cancer and agents targeting the Wnt pathway have the potential to be developed as pan-tumor drugs. The strategic alliance provides Bayer with the option to exclusively license antibody and protein therapeutic product candidates at any point up to the completion of Phase I testing. In addition, Bayer and OncoMed will share technology and know-how to discover and develop small molecule inhibitors of the pathway.

Up to $387.5 million per successful drug

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