Gilead Sciences and Arcus Biosciences have amended their collaboration agreement, with Gilead making a $320 million equity investment in the California-based cancer drug developer.
The move accelerates the partners' joint development programs for various indications. The collaboration aims to fast-track the anti-TIGIT (domvanalimab) program and advance multiple pipeline assets. Additionally, Gilead's chief commercial officer, Johanna Mercier, will join Arcus' board.
The joint domvanalimab development program will now focus on advancing and potentially accelerating the phase 3 studies STAR-121 (lung cancer) and STAR-221 (gastrointestinal cancer). The companies also plan to initiate STAR-131, a new registrational phase 3 lung cancer study that includes the domvanalimab plus zimberelimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, regimen.
The amended agreement discontinues the phase 3 ARC-10 study evaluating domvanalimab plus zimberelimab compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in first-line locally advanced or metastatic, PD-L1-high NSCLC.
Gilead's latest investment extends Arcus' cash runway to 2027.
The $2 billion partnership was initiated in 2020 with a 10-year agreement to jointly develop and commercialize next-gen cancer therapeutics in Arcus' pipeline. Last May, the two expanded their collaboration and Arcus received an upfront payment of $35 million and launched research programs for up to four jointly selected inflammatory disease targets. Gilead now holds the option to license each program at two predetermined points in time. If Gilead exercises its option sooner for the initial two programs, Arcus may receive up to $420 million in option and milestone payments per program.
