Galapagos units extend drug discovery collaboration with Genentech

Belgium-based Galapagos NV (Euronext: GLPG) says that its UK contract research division Argenta has extended its integrated contract drug discovery agreement with Swiss drug major Roche’s (ROG: SIX) subsidiary Genentech. The total potential value of the contract extension is up to £21.5 million ($35 million).

This is the third extension since the accord was announced in December 2005. The agreement covers a number of drug discovery programs that utilize Argenta's expertise in computer-aided drug design (CADD), medicinal chemistry, in vitro biology and screening to discover new chemical entities acting against undisclosed drug targets defined by Genentech.

The extended agreement also allows Genentech to continue placing projects directly into Galapagos’ other service division, BioFocus, which will provide Genentech with integrated medicinal chemistry, in vitro biology and ADME services. BioFocus has been working with Genentech since an amendment to the Argenta agreement was signed in September 2010.