GSK Signs Up For Isis Technology

In a deal worth up to $1.5 billion, Isis Pharmaceuticals will deploy its antisense drug discovery platform to develop new targets for rare disorders, including infectious diseases, for GlaxoSmithKline. Isis scores $35 million up front and could get an average of $20 million in milestone payments for every drug that reaches Phase II trials. At that proof-of-concept stage, GSK has the right to license the compounds and handle their late-stage development. According to Isis, if GSK opts in on all six drugs covered by the pact, Isis will rake in $1.5 billion, along with double-digit royalties on sales of any drugs that reach the market. Isis' antisense platform uses second-generation oligonucleotides to prevent messenger RNA from reaching its target.