Keywords: Novartis, Incyte, myelofibrosis, hematology, cancer therapy

Novartis strikes licensing deal with Incyte

Article | 26 November 2009

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The Swiss drug giant Novartis has secured a licensing deal with America’s Incyte Corp  that gives it the rights to two potential treatments for a range of blood disorders and cancers. The lead compound covered by the deal is Incyte’s JAK inhibitor INCB18424, an oral therapy in phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of myelofibrosis, a life-threatening bone marrow disease for which there is no effective cure. According to Novartis, the JAK inhibitor could become a “first-in-class therapeutic agent for the treatment of this and other hematologic diseases.”

Novartis will make an upfront payment of $150m for the JAK inhibitor, along with a first milestone payment of $60m following the recent initiation of European phase 3 trials for the drug. Enjoying this article? To continue reading you need to login, take a FREE trial or subscribe.