Merck KGaA Pays Vertex $230M for Clinical and Preclinical Anticancer Programs

Vertex has licensed global development and commercialization rights to two clinical and two preclinical anticancer programs to Merck KGaA for an up-front fee of $230 million. Merck KGaA states the programs will strengthen its own existing oncology pipeline in the fields of DNA damage and repair and immuno-oncology. Vertex will, in addition, be due royalites on future product sales.The acquired ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinase inhibitor program includes two clinical-sta