Merck & Co., Daiichi Sankyo Strengthen Partnership with New DLL3 Cancer Drug Agreement

Partnership Expansion::
Merck & Co. and Daiichi Sankyo have expanded their existing partnership to include the development and commercialization of MK-6070, a delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) targeting T-cell engager.

Financial Terms::
Merck will receive an upfront payment of $170 million from Daiichi Sankyo. The companies will share research and development (R&D) costs and profits from global sales, except in Japan where Merck retains exclusive rights.

Clinical Trials::
MK-6070 is currently in Phase I/II clinical trials for treating small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and neuroendocrine tumors. The companies plan to evaluate MK-6070 in combination with ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) in certain SCLC patients.

Manufacturing and Supply::
Merck will be solely responsible for manufacturing and supplying MK-6070.

Strategic Significance::
The deal supports Daiichi Sankyo’s strategy to create new standards of care for cancer patients worldwide and demonstrates the companies' shared commitment to advancing new medicines.

Background::
The partnership builds on the companies' existing collaboration initiated in October 2023, which includes the joint development and commercialization of three investigational DXd antibody-drug conjugates.