NEW YORK – Global pharma company Servier has partnered with Celsius Therapeutics to identify new drug targets for colorectal cancer.
Celsius will use its single-cell genomics platform to analyze hundreds of samples from colorectal cancer patients. Under the agreement, Celsius will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and will be eligible for up to $700 million in milestone payments. Servier, which is headquartered in Suresnes, France, will receive an exclusive option to research, develop, and commercialize products directed to up to three of the targets.Â
"Through this collaboration, we will leverage Celsius' single-cell genomics platform, machine learning capabilities, and target validation expertise to refine our understanding of the different subtypes of [colorectal cancer] and discover new drug targets with the goal of developing novel precision therapies for specific patient subsets," Hugues Dolgos, global head of oncology R&D at Servier, said in a statement.
Servier has two treatments in development for colorectal cancer. One is an oral chemotherapy that was developed with Taiho Oncology and the other is an anti-EGFR treatment currently in Phase II studies.
Last year, Celsius joined three immuno-oncology collaborations with Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Institut Gustave Roussy in France, and the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada. These collaborations were focused on triple negative breast cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer.