KSQ Therapeutics bags deal with Roche for clinical-stage USP1 Inhibitor

Privately-held US biotech KSQ Therapeutics, a developer cancer therapies using its proprietary CRISPRomics discovery platform, has entered into a worldwide license agreement with Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX), adding to existing collaborations with Ono Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4528) and Takeda (TYO: 4502).

The deal with Roche is for the development and commercialization of KSQ-4279, a first-in-class, potent, and selective small molecule inhibitor of USP1, a protein that regulates DNA damage response (DDR) in a manner distinct from other approaches, including PARP inhibitors.

The molecule is currently in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of solid tumors. Under the collaboration, Roche will assume development responsibilities for KSQ-4279, which has the potential to treat a variety of cancers.