- Mestag Therapeutics has partnered with MSD to identify new drug targets for inflammatory diseases using Mestag’s RAFT platform.
- The deal could potentially reach $1.9 billion, including upfront, option, and downstream payments.
Mestag Therapeutics has announced a new collaboration and licensing agreement with MSD (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA) to develop novel therapies aimed at treating inflammatory diseases. This agreement will leverage Mestag’s proprietary Reversing Activated Fibroblast Technology (RAFT) platform to identify drug targets that could lead to the development of new therapeutics.
The collaboration will focus on targeting the role of fibroblasts in immune responses and their contribution to inflammation, a key driver of many chronic diseases. Under the agreement, MSD will have the option to license and develop up to a prespecified number of targets identified through the RAFT platform, with full responsibility for discovery, development, and commercialization.
“We are excited to collaborate with MSD to bring continued innovation for patients suffering from inflammatory diseases,” said Susan Hill, PhD, CEO of Mestag. “This partnership underscores the potential of our RAFT platform in driving the discovery of new therapeutic approaches.”
Mestag will receive an upfront payment and access fees from MSD, with the potential for option fees and milestone payments, bringing the total deal value to as much as $1.9 billion. MSD’s Vice President of Immunology Discovery, Marc Levesque, MD, PhD, commented, “We look forward to working with Mestag to identify new therapeutic options, particularly in the context of fibrosis and inflammatory diseases.”
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