Early Rewards for Careful Targeting in Oncology

Two early-stage cancer deals signed at the end of last year, one from Novartis AG and another from Genentech Inc. , set a new high for European biotech preclinical deal dollars. They also highlighted the growing value, to Big Pharma and Big Biotech, of targeted, well-designed oncology leads, as progress in cancer therapeutics raises the hurdles for new products' potency and selectivity. (See "The Changing Dynamics of Cancer Drug Development," START-UP, January 2006 Also see "The Changing Dynamics of Cancer Drug Development" - In Vivo, 1 January, 2006..)

In early December 2005, Novartis committed $25 million up front (including deferred equity) to Cambridge, UK-based Astex Therapeutics Ltd. [See Deal] The bounty: worldwide rights to preclinical oral cell...