media: Merck’s $1 billion deal includes phase 3 ovarian cancer therapeutic (Vintafolide/Endocyte)

Merck’s $1 billion deal includes phase 3 ovarian cancer therapeutic

 Merck (NYSE:MRK) has forged a deal with a biopharmaceutical company for its phase 3 platinum-resistant ovarian cancer treatment and nonsmall cell lung cancer in mid-stage development in a deal valued at up to $1 billion... Under the terms of the deal, Merck, through a subsidiary, will get worldwide rights to develop and commercialize vintafolide for ovarian cancer that’s resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy treatment. Endocyte (NASDAQ:ECYT), the Indiana-based cancer therapeutics developer, will receive a $120 million up-front payment and is eligible for milestone payments of up to $880 million if it achieves certain development, regulatory and commercialization milestones for vintafolide for a total of six cancer indications, according to a company statement......

"...The clinical trials for both maladies will also use etarfolatide, a noninvasive companion diagnostic imaging agent that is used to identify folate receptor positive tumor cells.....