BRIEF—Mersana and Merck call halt to Dolaflexin accord

US biotech Mersana Therapeutics and Germany’s Merck KGaA have mutually agreed to terminate both the collaboration and commercial license agreement of June 2014 on Dolaflexin between the parties.

Under the terms of the original 2014 accord, the companies developed research plans to evaluate Merck antibodies as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) incorporating Mersana’s Dolaflexin technology.

Under the Dolaflexin supply agreement, Mersana agreed to provide Merck with pre-clinical non-good manufacturing practice ADC drug substance and clinical good manufacturing practice drug substance for use in clinical trials associated with one of the antibodies designated under the 2014 Dolaflexin Collaboration Agreement, as well as to provide Dolaflexin (unconjugated material) for Merck.

The respective rights and obligations of each party under each of the 2014 Dolaflexin Collaboration Agreement and the Dolaflexin Supply Agreement that survive termination of each respective agreement pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth therein will continue.

The termination of the 2014 Dolaflexin Collaboration Agreement does not affect the validity of, amend or modify the Collaboration and Commercial License Agreement, dated December 22, 2022, between the Mersana and Ares Trading SA related to the company’s immunosynthen platform.