AstraZeneca builds cancer R&D dream house with $150M Definiens buyout, J&J deal
Summary
In addition to the $150 million down payment, AstraZeneca committed to a slate of milestones, which are being kept under wraps, to complete the Definiens deal. The buyout, though, raises the question of whether a developing personalized medicine platform technology like this can best be improved on by a multinational like AstraZeneca--which is undergoing a massive, years-long R&D makeover. "Definiens technology will complement our immuno-oncology approach and allow us to accelerate further our clinical programmes through its highly precise predictive and prognostic biomarker testing." And right now checkpoint inhibitors, which can spur an immune system attack while a combination treatment zeroes in on particular cancer cells, are being pushed as fast as possible. "Our partnership with Pharmacyclics and Janssen supports our exploration of the potential of anti-PD-L1 in haematological cancers--an area of significant unmet need as many lymphoma patients still progress despite treatment.