Merck KGaA signs agreement with Chi-Med

German company Merck KGaA has announced that it has signed an agreement to collaborate with Hutchinson MediPharma, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese company Hutchinson China MediTech (Chi-Med).

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will combine their research efforts regarding the discovery of innovative anti-cancer drugs to control oncological pathways. The research seeks to develop drugs derived from natural products.

Christian Hogg, chief executive officer of Chi-Med, said: “We are delighted to partner with Merck to broaden our research activity in the oncology area. Merck has a good record of achievement in the development and commercialisation of oncology products such as Erbitux.”

He added that Chi-Med had established itself as a sound research and development company over the past four years, noting it had taken two drug candidates as far as phase II clinical trials in the US. Mr Hogg stated that this partnership agreement also confirmed the group’s abilities in drug discovery.

The company announced in July that it would expand the trials of HMPL-002, its leading oncology drug in development. The new trials would expand from testing patients receiving radiation therapy alone to those being treated with platinum-based chemoradiotherapy in conjunction with radiation therapy.