Merck Sharpe and Dohme and Endocyte agree cancer collaboration

Merck Sharpe and Dohme and Endocyte are to ally on the development of a promising new cancer therapy.

The two companies will combine forces to develop and commercialise Endocyte's novel investigational therapeutic candidate vintafolide, with the partnership set to be potentially worth more than $1 billion (626.84 million pounds) in total.

Vintafolide is currently being evaluated in a phase III trial for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and in a phase II study for non-small cell lung cancer, both using Endocyte's investigational companion diagnostic agent etarfolatide.

The compound has already been granted orphan drug status in the EU, with regulatory filings planned for the third quarter of 2012.

Peter Kim, executive vice-president and president for Merck Research Laboratories, said: "This agreement underscores our strategy of building a portfolio of oncology therapeutics that employ a companion diagnostic to facilitate selection of those patients most likely to respond to treatment."

Earlier this month, Merck Sharpe and Dohme announced another new alliance with Codexis, focusing on the development of an enzyme-based production method for the drug Victrelis.