BRIEF—Collaboration gives Galapagos rights to MALT1 inhibitors

Belgo-Dutch biotech Galapagos has teamed up with a research institute and Belgium’s Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3) over the development of new MALT1 inhibitors as therapeutics in inflammatory and oncological diseases.

VIB, a life sciences research institute also based in Belgium, and CD3, have identified small molecule MALT1 protease inhibitors, and they are now building on this by exclusively partnering with Galapagos, which has deep expertise in drug development in inflammatory diseases.

Galapagos will continue the development of the MALT1 inhibitors towards clinical application in a number of therapeutic indications, supported by a broad collaboration with key opinion leaders at VIB, and the drug discovery capabilities at VIB’s Discovery Sciences and CD3.

Under the terms of the agreement, Galapagos will receive exclusive option rights to the lead-stage inhibitors as well as exclusive license rights for subsequent pre-clinical and clinical development and commercialization. The deal includes an upfront payment, development and sales milestone payments based upon the achievement of development and regulatory goals. VIB and CD3 are eligible to receive royalty payments on future products developed under the collaboration.