Vertex reaches milestone in collaboration with Merck to develop cancer treatments

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, Dec. 7 - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Wednesday that it has reached a milestone in its collaboration with Merck & Co. Inc. to develop Aurora kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer.

In a phase 1 clinical study in patients with solid tumor cancers, dosing with VX-680 (MK-0457) demonstrated activity on a clinically relevant biomarker, triggering achievement of a milestone under the contract, according to a company news release.

VX-680 is a small-molecule inhibitor of Aurora kinases and the lead development compound in the collaboration.

Merck said it has selected a follow-on compound for development from a joint Aurora kinase research program that is part of the collaboration, officials said.

For its work, Vertex received two milestone payments from Merck totaling $19.5 million, officials said.

Vertex said it expects to recognize revenue of about $7 million of the $19.5 million in milestone payments in the fourth quarter of 2005 with the balance in 2006.

"We initiated a number of clinical trials for VX-680 in 2005 and the biomarker activity observed in the phase 1 trial in solid tumors is encouraging. We look forward to continued progress in the coming year's program as we look to further define the clinical activity of VX-680 in several potential oncology indications," said Stephen H. Friend, executive vice president, advanced technology & oncology at Merck Research Laboratories, in the release.

Merck is conducting three clinical studies of VX-680 in patients with hematologic cancers, recurrent or non-responsive solid tumors or cancers for which standard therapy does not currently exist. The studies are evaluating the safety and tolerability of VX-680 when administered as a 24-hour continuous infusion or a five-day continuous infusion.

Presentation of clinical data from these studies at one or more scientific conferences is anticipated in 2006, officials said.

Vertex is a Cambridge, Mass., biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule drugs for serious diseases.

Merck, based in Whitehouse Station, N.J., is a research-driven pharmaceutical company.

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