Genentech gains rights to next-generation CDK inhibitors

Genentech (a member of the Roche Group) has agreed to acquire next-generation CDK inhibitors for breast cancer from Regor Pharmaceuticals for $850 million.

Regor is eligible for further payments dependent on whether certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones are met. Genentech is responsible for clinical development, manufacturing and commercialisation globally.

“Genentech is well-positioned to bring these novel therapeutics to their full potential,” commented Xiayang Qiu, PhD, founder and CEO of Regor.

The planned transaction is expected to be completed in Q4 of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

Regor noted that it will continue to manage two ongoing Phase I trials. These are focused on next-generation CDK inhibitors. For instance, highlighting its pipeline on its website, the biotech stated that its clinical candidate RGT-419B is “the only CDK4 inhibitor with single agent efficacy in refractory ER+/HER2- breast cancer”.

Genentech – advancing neurodegenerative treatments

This news follows Genentech’s announcement in August about a medicine development deal worth up to $1.9 billion with Sangamo Therapeutics.

As part of this licence agreement, the two parties plan to develop intravenous genomic medicines for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.

For example, Sangamo’s “intravenously delivered AAV capsid, STAC-BBB, has the potential to address longstanding challenges in delivering therapeutics to the central nervous system. We are excited to share this powerful combination with Genentech to advance potential treatment options for devastating neurodegenerative disorders, and we are hopeful this could be the first of multiple capsid collaborations to come with other partners,” Sandy Macrae, the firm’s Chief Executive Officer stated at the time.

Under the terms of this deal, Genentech will manage clinical development, regulatory interactions as well as manufacturing and global commercialisation.

Biotech firm Regor Pharmaceuticals (USA) is developing medicines to address large unmet needs in fields ranging from oncology, metabolism to auto-immunity.