Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis (NYSE: NVS) is poised to expand its oncology portfolio by acquiring Mariana Oncology, a US-based specialist in radioligand therapy (RLT). The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions and includes a substantial upfront payment of USD 1 billion, plus potential milestone payments of up to USD 750 million.
With this acquisition, Novartis will incorporate several pre-clinical RLT programs targeting solid tumors into its pipeline, most notably MC-339. This lead candidate utilizes actinium and is currently in development specifically for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Novartis already boasts two RLTs in its market portfolio: Lutathera (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate) and Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan), reinforcing the company’s commitment to advancing targeted cancer therapies.- Flcube.com
