Aduro gets $200m as Novartis steps up immuno-oncology

Aduro Biotech has secured a $200m upfront payment from Novartis as the latter steps up its activity in immunotherapy for cancer. The deal brings Novartis an early-stage immuno-oncology platform targeting the Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) pathway, adding to its ongoing programs using chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) technology and checkpoint inhibitors.