Merck hands Swedish biotech €10M cash to develop anti-inflammatory drugs

(February 16, 2023) | By Katherine Lewin, News Reporter.

Merck is betting on Aqilion’s work on a small molecule inhibitor for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including neurological diseases.

Merck is paying €10 million upfront cash to the Swedish-based biotech in a licensing deal and research collaboration to develop small molecule inhibitors of the growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) with the potential for another €950 million in development and commercialization milestones.

Aqilion will design the TAK1 inhibitors while Merck leads the preclinical pharmacology and biology studies.