Merck Signs an Out-Licensing Agreement with Novartis for M6495 (Anti-ADAMTS5 Nanobody) for Osteoarthritis

Shots:

• Merck to receive an € 50M upfront payment and € 400M development and commercial milestones and royalties on future net sales. Novartis will hold full responsibility for the development and commercialization of the M6495 program
• Two P-I studies were completed with M6495 where NCT03224702 in healthy volunteers demonstrated safety and tolerability and reduction of ARGS levels at single doses (n=54) and NCT03583346 targets inhibition of ARGS with dosing every other week in OA patients    
• M6495 is being developed to be self-administered via SC injections to maintain structural integrity of knee joint and reduce pain. M6495 was originally jointly developed by Merck and Ablynx as part of a joint discovery and development agreement in 2011

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