SerImmune enters collaboration with Merck

California, USA-based SerImmune has entered into a research and development collaboration agreement with a subsidiary of US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the USA and Canada.

Under terms of the agreement SerImmune will apply its immune repertoire characterization platform to clinical and preclinical specimens provided by Merck. Merck will lead preclinical and clinical development and commercialization of candidates identified from the collaboration. SerImmune will be eligible to receive development and regulatory milestone payments and tiered royalties on sales of any products resulting from the collaboration.

"The immune system's role in disease continues to be an important area of exploratory research at Merck," said Daria Hazuda, vice president infectious disease discovery and chief scientific officer, Merck Exploratory Science Center. "This alliance with SerImmune exemplifies our strategy of collaboration with external scientists and entrepreneurs."