Ensemble enters R&D alliance with B-MS

US drug developer Ensemble Discovery has initiated a strategic alliance with drug major Bristol-Myers Squibb aiming to develop  molecules against eight undisclosed, high-value pharmaceutical targets.  The collaboration will deploy Ensemble's proprietary drug discovery  platforms and collections of Ensemblins - a new class of synthetic  macrocycles. B-MS will have the right to develop and commercialize the  products arising from the collaboration. The US firm will provide an  upfront payment of $5.0 million and expected research payments of $7.5  million to support the research program. Ensemble is eligible to  receive development milestones of up to $29.5 million per product plus  royalties based on global sales of the drugs emerging from the alliance  and commercialized by B-MS. Ensemblins are a novel type of oral drug  molecules developed to address disease targets that cannot be modulated  effectively by traditional small-molecule drugs.