Roche and Synta Pharmaceuticals entered an agreement potentially worth over one billion to discover, develop, and commercialize small molecule anti-inflammatories. Roche will pay Synta US$25 million upfront, which includes US$9 million in research funding over the next two years.
The alliance will specifically look at a family of ion channels that are critical to immune cell function, known as calcium release-activated calcium modulator (CRACM) channels. Roche will fund research to be conducted by Synta during an initial two-year research period.
Roche could license up to three products. It will own worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the products, which will be identified prior to the end of the research period. Synta retains certain co-development and co-promotion rights. Roche will bear all preclinical, clinical and commercial costs.
