On 6 August 2024, MSD announced that it has expanded its existing global development and commercialisation agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to include MK-6070, a T-cell engager targeting delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3). Under the deal, the companies will jointly develop and commercialise MK-6070 worldwide, except in Japan where MSD will have exclusive rights. MSD will be responsible for manufacturing and supplying MK-6070 and will receive an upfront cash payment of $170 million.
The US FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation to MK-6070 for the treatment of small cell lung cancer in March 2022. MK-6070 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial as a monotherapy in certain patients with advanced cancers associated with expression of DLL3.
MSD and Daiichi Sankyo first entered into the global development and commercialisation collaboration in October 2023, involving Daiichi’s three deruxtecan antibody-drug conjugate candidates: patritumab deruxtecan, ifinatamab deruxtecan and raludotatug deruxtecan.