Daiichi Sankyo and Merck ink ADC codevelopment deal

Daiichi Sankyo and Merck & Co. have signed a commercialization agreement for three of Daiichi Sankyo’s antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates. The three ADCs—patritumab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan, and raludotatug deruxtecan—are in various stages of clinical development for the treatment of multiple solid tumors as monotherapies or in combination with other treatments. The partners would jointly commercialize resulting therapies worldwide, except in Japan, where Daiichi Sankyo would be solely responsible for manufacture and supply. Merck will pay Daiichi $4 billion up front under terms of the agreement.