Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. Announces Collaboration and Option to License Agreement with Merck
Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS), a member of the NMS Group and a clinical stage company discovering and developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer, announced today the signing of a collaboration agreement with licensing option with Merck Healthcare KGaA (Merck), for the next-generation highly selective and brain penetrant PARP1 inhibitor NMS-293.
PARP (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase) is key in the repair of DNA damage and PARP inhibitors have been shown to be highly efficacious in the treatment of tumors deficient in homologous recombination repair, such as breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers which are BRCA mutated.
NMS-293 is an orally available PARP1 inhibitor, designed to be more PARP1 selective and brain penetrant compared to first generation PARP inhibitors. With its expected lower hematological side effect profile, it has the expected features for potential use not only as single agent but also in combination with DNA-damage accumulating agents in a wide range of tumors. NMS-293 is currently in early clinical development for the treatment of patients with BRCA mutated tumors as single agent and with recurrent Glioblastoma (GBM), a brain tumor with very high medical need, in combination with temozolomide (TMZ).
Under the current agreement, Merck will make early payments (up-front and option exercise fees) of up to US$65 million to NMS. Furthermore, NMS will receive payments for the achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones and tiered royalties on net sales by Merck. Upon exercise of the option, NMS will grant to Merck the exclusive rights to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize NMS-293.
“NMS-293 is the first next-generation PARP1 inhibitor to enter clinical trials. Based on its unique features, NMS-293 has strong potential in combination with a wide variety of DNA-damage accumulating agents, such as chemotherapy, DNA repair inhibitors or ADCs, in tumor settings that are precluded to current PARP inhibitors, such as brain tumors, and where there is an urgent global need to find treatments,” stated Hugues Dolgos, Pharm.D., chief executive officer of NMS and NMS Group. “NMS has built a unique and proprietary platform of first-in-class and best-in-class assets and expanded to new target classes like PARP with NMS-293 as our flagship. We believe that Merck, a global leader in DNA repair with a well-established commercialization footprint, is the ideal partner to maximize the value of our program.”
Building on the therapeutic impact that PARP inhibitors have had over the last several years, we believe this new PARP1 program, if successful, could fill a significant unmet need for patients unresponsive to existing PARP inhibitors with an improved hematological adverse event profile,” said Victoria Zazulina, M.D., Head of Development Unit Oncology for the Healthcare business of Merck. “The work of NMS to discover and advance this next generation PARP1 selective inhibitor coupled with our deep expertise in developing therapies which modify DNA damage response mechanisms, creates a strong foundation to further develop this investigational therapy for patients.”
During the option period, NMS and Merck will collaborate on the clinical development of NMS-293 as monotherapy and in combination, with NMS designing, sponsoring, conducting, and funding global clinical trials.
About NMS-293
NMS-293 is an orally available small molecule inhibitor of PARP1 and is currently in early clinical development for the treatment of patients with BRCA mutated tumors as single agent and with recurrent Glioblastoma (GBM), a brain tumor with very high medical need, in combination with temozolomide (TMZ).
About Nerviano Medical Sciences
Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS Srl) is focused on discovery and clinical development of small-molecule new chemical entities (NCEs) for oncology. We take innovative approaches on novel mechanisms of action and drug targets to bring first- and best-in-class personalized medicines to cancer patients. Our current pipeline consists of NCEs originating from our well validated kinase platform that span from early preclinical to clinical stage projects and which are being developed both in-house and with partners.
NMS Srl combines the flexibility of a biotech with the quality of a big pharma. Our experienced management team leads a highly skilled staff of professionals with global vision and a broad range of expertise in research, drug discovery and clinical development. We cover the whole range of additional aspects of drug development through the NMS Group affiliate companies, Accelera (AdMet) and NerPharMa (manufacturing).
A key strength is our industrially renowned kinase inhibitor drug discovery platform which comprises an ever-evolving chemical collection with broad intellectual property coverage, discovery know-how and technologies which enabled us to out-license IP rights on recently approved innovative medicines such as encorafenib and entrectinib.
We collaborate with academia and clinical investigators as well as with industrial partners worldwide to advance our programs from early discovery to clinical development of new drugs. We seek further strategic collaborations to develop and commercialize our products in different territories as well as in-licensing opportunities of promising assets for clinical development.
About NMS Group
NMS Group is the largest oncological R&D company in Italy. More than half of our 400 employees are highly educated individuals dedicated to innovative research, development and manufacturing. The NMS kinase inhibitor discovery platform as well as the antibody-conjugating payload platform are the driving forces of the group's innovation, securing global recognition of NMS in personalized therapy. Recently entrectinib, originally discovered by NMS, is a targeted kinase inhibitor to treat NTRK1/2/3 and ROS1 dependent solid tumors that was licensed to Ignyta, now a member of the Roche Group, gained approvals for commercialization in all major markets. This is further evident of the competitiveness of the drug discovery platform of NMS Group.
NMS Group has three subsidiaries. NMS S.r.l. is a FIC / BIC focused drug research and development company with a robust pipeline of more than a dozen anti-cancer projects, and three of the projects are currently in early clinical development. The other two subsidiaries are Accelera, which is a preclinical CRO company, and NerPharMa which manufactures API and drug products supporting clinical developments and commercialization.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220921005071/en/
Contact information
Media contact: Sidney Dung Sidney.dung@nmsgroup.it
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Axelspace: Notice of Signing a Service contract for In-Orbit Demonstration with Pale Blue, Inc.22.12.2025 10:00:00 CET | Press Release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” has entered into a service agreement with Pale Blue Inc. (“Pale Blue”), a company that develops, manufactures, and sells thrusters (engines) for small satellites, for an in-orbit demonstration, as detailed below. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219321165/en/ Jun Asakawa, Co-founder & CEO of Pale Blue (left in photo) and Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace Axelspace provides AxelLiner Laboratory (AL Lab), a new service originating from the AxelLiner business that is specialized in in-orbit demonstration of space components. Under this contract, an in-orbit demonstration of a fast-start Hall thruster developed by Pale Blue is scheduled to be conducted in 2027. Nonetheless, conducting in-orbit demonstrations in a short period of time is known to be a significant challenge due to the in
Axelspace Signing Agreement on a Multi-Launch Arrangement and the Launch of New Satellites with Exolaunch22.12.2025 10:00:00 CET | Press Release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” is pleased to announce a multi-launch agreement (MLA) with Exolaunch, a global launch integrator and leader in launch mission management, satellite integration and satellite deployment technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219038364/en/ The Multi-Launch Agreement will accelerate the growth of Axelspace. In particular, one satellite scheduled for launch under the new Agreement will be used in the AxelLiner business’s in-orbit demonstration service, “AxelLiner Laboratory”. Exolaunch has already secured launches for eight (8) Axelspace’s satellites on the upcoming missions. Axelspace provides AxelLiner Laboratory (AL Lab), a new service originating from the AxelLiner business that is specialized in in-orbit demonstration of space components. Nonetheless, conducting in-orbit demonstration
Zambon Biotech Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 3b ADIP Clinical Study of IPX203 in Parkinson’s Disease22.12.2025 10:00:00 CET | Press Release
Zambon Biotech, a specialized biotech company part of the Zambon group that aims to build a scientifically robust and commercially viable portfolio of innovative patient-oriented drugs through the scouting, acquisition, licensing and development of new molecules, today announced that the first participant with advanced Parkinson’s disease has been enrolled in the European Phase 3b ADIP (IPX203 in Advanced Parkinson’s disease) study, which is planned to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IPX203 versus immediate-release (IR) levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) in a regimen which has not yet been the focus of a Phase 3 trial. IPX203 is a novel, oral modified-release formulation of LD/CD designed for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, the fastest growing neurological condition in the world according to the World Health Organization1. IPX203 contains immediate-release granules and extended-release beads, providing both a rapid onset of action and a longer duration of benefit, sustaining the levo
Pimicotinib Approved as Systemic Treatment in China for Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor22.12.2025 09:00:00 CET | Press Release
Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that following Priority Review, the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved pimicotinib for the treatment of adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) for which surgical resection will potentially cause functional limitation or relatively severe morbidity. Pimicotinib, a colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor developed by Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China, is the first Chemical Drug Class 1 approved in China for the treatment of TGCT. “We are continuing to deliver on our commitment to improving the lives of patients with rare tumors with this first-in-the-world regulatory approval of pimicotinib,” said Danny Bar-Zohar, CEO Healthcare and Member of the Executive Board of Merck. “This approval is a significant step forward in further strengthening our leadership in rare tumors, while offering patients the opportunity to change the course of
Incyte Japan Announces Approval of Minjuvi ® (tafasitamab) in Combination with Rituximab and Lenalidomide for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma22.12.2025 08:44:00 CET | Press Release
Incyte Biosciences Japan G.K. today announced approval from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for Minjuvi® (tafasitamab) in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide for adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (2L+ FL). “Today's approval of Minjuvi in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide marks a significant milestone as the first dual-targeted CD19 and CD20 immunotherapy combination for relapsed or refractory FL in Japan,” said Yasuyuki Ishida, General Manager, Incyte Biosciences Japan. “By improving progression-free survival, Minjuvi offers a chemotherapy-free option for eligible patients with relapsed or refractory disease. This approval underscores our commitment to bridging critical treatment gaps to patients and families affected by this challenging disease in Japan.” The approval is based on the pivotal Phase 3 inMIND trial, which enrolled 654 adult patients, including patients based in Japan. The study demonstrated that Minjuvi
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom