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Merck Pays $2.75bn To Access VelosBio’s ROR1-Targeting ADCs

Private Biotech Raised $137m In Venture Capital In July

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Merck continues its cancer deal streak, purchasing a pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies against receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1). 

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Merck & Co. added assets to its oncology pipeline with the VelosBios buy • Source: Shutterstock

Merck & Co., Inc. continued its business development push in oncology on 5 November with the announcement that it will pay $2.75bn in cash for VelosBio Inc., a privately held developer of antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies targeting receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1), in a deal that is expected to close by the end of 2020.

San Diego-based VelosBio’s lead ADC candidate VLS-101 is in Phase I for the treatment of hematological malignancies and the first...

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