Takeda to Acquire Maverick Therapeutics for up to $525 Million

Takeda Pharmaceutical announced on March 9, 2021 that it has acquired Maverick Therapeutics, a US-based biopharmaceutical company, for up to $525 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, Takeda will have access to Maverick’s T-cell engager COBRA platform, along with its development portfolio, which includes its lead development candidate, TAK-186 (MVC-101), currently in a Phase I/II study for the treatment of estimated glomerular filtration rate-expressing solid tumors, and TAK-280 (MVC-280), which is expected to enter the clinic during the second half of 2021 for the treatment of patients with B7H3-expressing solid tumors, Takeda said in a company press release.

The acquisition follows a previous multi-year partnership between the companies signed in 2017 that aimed to develop conditionally active T-cell engager therapies and gave Takeda the option to purchase Maverick after five years.

“Collaboration is paramount to our R&D strategy and our pursuit of novel approaches to treat cancer,” said Chris Arendt, PhD, head of the Oncology Therapeutic Area Unit of Takeda, in the press release. “By supporting pioneers like Maverick working in emerging areas of science, we can share expertise, resources, and risk to bring transformational new therapies to patients faster. Maverick’s cutting-edge COBRA platform is an exciting addition to our oncology portfolio that provides a novel conditional bioengineering approach to advance redirected immunotherapies against solid tumors.”

“Takeda’s exercise of their purchase option is a tribute to the Maverick team’s singular focus on improving outcomes for patients with solid tumor cancers,” added James Scibetta, CEO of Maverick Therapeutics, in the press release. “Through the acquisition, patients will benefit from the expansion of resources and experience Takeda brings to accelerate development of our COBRA-derived therapies. Takeda has been an excellent partner since Maverick’s inception, venerating our independence through a period marked by rapid innovation, providing actionable consultation, and providing direct cell-line development and manufacturing support through the COVID-19 pandemic to keep us on our aggressive schedule.”

Source: Takeda Pharmaceutical