GTx enters global SARM accord with Merck & Co; deal includes Ph II sarcopenia drug

US drugmaker GTx and pharmaceutical major Merck & Co have signed an agreement establishing an R&D and global strategic collaboration focused on selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), a new class of drugs with the potential to treat age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) as well as other musculoskeletal conditions.

This collaboration includes GTx' lead SARM drug candidate, ostarine, which is currently being evaluated in a Phase II trial for muscle loss in patients with cancer, and establishes a broad SARM cooperation under which the two firms will pool their programs and partner to discover, develop and commercialize current as well as future SARM molecules. As part of this worldwide accord, Merck will be responsible for all future costs associated with ongoing development and, if approved, commercialization of ostarine and other investigational SARMs resulting from the collaboration.

Merck to pay $40M up front