Nerviano collaborates with leading French independent on anti-cancer drug development

Nerviano Medical Sciences, the largest pharmaceutical R&D facility in Italy, and leading French independent drugmaker Laboratories Servier have entered into a collaboration and worldwide license agreement to further develop and commercialize first-in-class Nerviano compounds inhibiting the protein kinase TTK/MPS1. A key regulator of mitosis, TTK/MPS1 is aberrantly over-expressed in a wide range of tumors and represents a promising target in oncology.

Terms of the collaboration include an upfront fee of 8 million euros ($10.6 million) and a potential for up to 100 million euros in option fees, clinical and regulatory milestones in addition to royalties for the sale of licensed products.

Under the terms of the accord, Nerviano, one of the leading oncology-focused, integrated discovery and development companies in Europe, will complete the preclinical development of the lead candidate drug and, if Servier exercises the option, Servier will bear all development and commercialization costs. Nerviano will continue to support Servier for the early clinical development and the supply of the licensed product.