Cambridge, Massachusetts-based METiS Therapeutics has unveiled its first in-license deal, signing with South Korea’s Voronoi Inc. to secure exclusive global development and commercialization rights to Voronoi’s pan-RAF inhibitor program. The deal involves an upfront payment of $1.7 million and up to $480.5 million in development, regulatory, and sales milestones, as well as tiered royalties on annual net sales.
Deal Overview and Drug Mechanism
The agreement grants METiS rights to a type II pan-RAF inhibitor developed by Voronoi. This inhibitor is designed to target Class 2 and 3 BRAF mutations, which current-generation RAF inhibitors fail to address. This innovative approach aims to fill a significant gap in the treatment of BRAF-mutated cancers.
Company Background and Funding
METiS Therapeutics emerged from a $86 million Series A financing round in December 2021, with strong backing from China. The round was led by PICC PE and China Life, along with Sequoia Capital China, Lightspeed, 5Y Capital, FreeS Fund, and CMBI Zhaoxin Wuji Fund. METiS’s platform, AiTEM, combines state-of-the-art AI data-driven algorithms, mechanism-driven quantum mechanics, and molecular dynamics simulations to calculate Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) properties. This includes API-target and API-excipient interactions, and predicts the chemical, physical, and pharmacokinetic properties of small molecule and nucleic acid therapeutics in specific microenvironments. The platform is expected to produce efficiencies in lead optimization, candidate selection, and formulation design.
Future Outlook
The in-license deal with Voronoi marks a significant step for METiS Therapeutics in expanding its pipeline and addressing unmet needs in oncology. By leveraging its advanced AI-driven platform, METiS aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative therapies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.-Fineline Info & Tech
