Prognosis
Merck, Otsuka Make R&D Pact for Buzzed-About Cancer Target
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Merck & Co. will pay $50 million, plus as much as $2.5 billion in potential future payments, in a research and development deal with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. that includes a much-talked-about drug targeting a dangerous subset of cancers.
Two Otsuka subsidiaries, Taiho Pharmaceutical and Astex Pharmaceuticals, will work with Merck on several drugs in their development pipelines. The $2.5 billion in future payments are dependent on hitting research and sales milestones, Merck said in a statement announcing the agreement.