Celgene signs $1bn deal to develop blood cancer therapy

Global biopharmaceutical company Celgene has signed a collaboration deal worth up to nearly $1 billion to develop a preclinical therapeutic for the treatment of blood cancers, including leukaemia.

The news was announced on Tuesday, January 29 by Triphase Accelerator, the Canada-based drug development company which Celgene have signed the deal with.

Celgene and Triphase Accelerator will combine their knowledge and resources to develop the therapeutic TRPH-395, which targets a human protein, WDR5.

TRPH-395 is a novel small molecule inhibitor that disrupts WDR5 protein-protein interactions which can cause cancer.

Celgene will pay Triphase $40 million up front for the option to license TRPH-395 and commit to paying an additional $940 million in future research and development milestone payments. Additional payments for sales-based royalties are also possible.

While the drug is currently in late lead optimisation, preclinical data has shown broad activity across a range of cancer cell lines, including in both solid and blood tumours, the announcement by Triphase said.

Ontario’s minister of economic development, job creation and trade, Todd Smith, celebrated the collaboration and said he looks forward to the city welcoming “more innovative cancer research and trials”.

“This is a great day for cancer research in Ontario,” he said. “This discovery and investment will benefit Ontario cancer patients and support industry jobs in the province.”

Celgene has previously collaborated with Triphase.

In November 2016, it acquired Triphase’s proteasome inhibitor, marizomib, which is currently being developed for the treatment of brain cancer.

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