BRIEF—Eisai sells royalty rights for tazemetostat

Eisai has sold ex-Japan royalty rights for the investigational anti-cancer agent tazemetostat to Royalty Pharma, for $110 million upfront and up to $220 million based on marketing approvals in the USA.

Tazemetostat is a first-in-class, oral EZH2 inhibitor discovered by Epizyme. It is believed that EZH2 regulates cell proliferation, and may have an important role in carcinogenesis.

Eisai is responsible for development and commercialization of tazemetostat within Japan, under the terms of a 2015 deal.