Sentinel Oncology in deal with Oncothyreon worth a potential $174 million

UK-based small molecule drug discovered Sentinel Oncology has signed a collaboration agreement with the US biotech firm Oncothyreon (Nasdaq: ONTY) for the development of Sentinel’s Checkpoint Kinase 1 (Chk1) program.

Under the terms of the agreement Oncothyreon will fund additional drug discovery research at Sentinel directed at the Chk1 target, and will have an exclusive license for the development and commercialization of any resulting compounds. Sentinel is eligible to receive preclinical, clinical and commercial milestone payments of up to $174 million and a royalty on net sales, if any.

Sentinel has developed a series of potent, selective, orally-active Chk1 kinase inhibitors as chemo- and radio-sensitizers. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are among the most commonly used cancer treatments and work by damaging the DNA of tumor cells. The Chk1 protein performs a crucial role in the way that cancer cells respond to DNA damage and although Chk1 is active in all cells, over 50% of tumor cells have partially disrupted DNA repair mechanisms and are therefore much more reliant on Chk1. Consequently, inhibition of Chk1 has been shown to selectively sensitise tumour cells to DNA damaging agents, enabling effective lower doses of chemo- and radiotherapy, and reduction in associated side-effects.