Daiichi Sankyo Announces New Strategic Immuno-Oncology Research Collaboration with AgonOx

TOKYO and PARSIPPANY, N.J., Oct. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) announced today that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with AgonOx, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company developing a pipeline of novel immunotherapy drugs targeting key regulators of the immune response to cancer, to develop an undisclosed immuno-oncology target.

Under terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo and AgonOx will collaborate on preclinical development of the program. Following preclinical assessment, Daiichi Sankyo has an exclusive option to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize the program worldwide.  Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We are excited to collaborate with AgonOx, which has extensive expertise in validating the expression and function of immuno-oncology targets," said Antoine Yver, MD, MSc, Executive Vice President and Global Head, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo. "While this collaboration will help strengthen our immuno-oncology capabilities, it also aligns with our overall mission of discovering and delivering science that can change the standard of care for patients with cancer."

About Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise
The vision of Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise is to push beyond traditional thinking to align world-class science to create innovative treatments for patients with cancer. The oncology pipeline of Daiichi Sankyo continues to grow and currently includes more than 20 small molecules and monoclonal antibodies with novel targets in both solid and hematological cancers. Compounds in phase 3 development include: quizartinib, an oral FLT3-ITD inhibitor, for newly-diagnosed and relapsed/ refractory FLT3-ITD+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML); pexidartinib, an oral CSF-1R inhibitor, for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT), also known as pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) and giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath (GCT-TS), which also is being investigated in combination with anti-PD1 immunotherapy, pembrolizumab, in a range of solid tumors; and tivantinib, an oral MET inhibitor, for second-line treatment of MET-high hepatocellular carcinoma in partnership with ArQule, Inc. 

About Daiichi Sankyo
Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 16,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo research and development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com. Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. For more information on Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., please visit: www.dsi.com.

About AgonOx, Inc.
AgonOx is a privately held biotechnology company developing a pipeline of novel immunotherapy drugs targeting key regulators of the immune response to cancer.  In 2011, in partnership with Providence Health & Services-Oregon, AgonOx entered into an exclusive global partnership with MedImmune, the global biologics arm of AstraZeneca, to develop its OX40 agonist program. 

Contact
Jennifer Brennan
Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
[email protected] 
+1 973 944 2393 (office)
+1 201 709 9309 (mobile)

SOURCE Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited

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