Merck, Cue Biopharma Set Strategic Research Collaboration and License Agreement

Cue Biopharma, Inc., an immunotherapy company developing a novel, proprietary class of biologics engineered to selectively modulate the human immune system to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced a strategic research collaboration and license agreement with Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada. Under the terms of the deal, the CUE Biologics™ platform will be leveraged to develop biologics engineered to selectively modulate disease-relevant T cell subsets for the treatment of autoimmune disease. The multi-year collaboration will encompass multiple disease targets across certain primary disease indication areas.

While specific financial arrangements are not being disclosed, Cue Biopharma will receive an up-front payment. Cue Biopharma is also eligible to earn up to $374 million in research, development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments in addition to tiered royalties on sales, if all pre-specified milestones associated with multiple products across the primary disease indication areas are achieved.

Immune Responses, On Cue™

Cue Biopharma is developing biologics that mimic antigen presenting cells (APCs) to selectively and effectively deliver signals to disease-associated T cells. This approach to generating highly targeted and selective T cell responses could result in more effective and safer therapies for addressing cancer and autoimmune diseases. We have developed a proprietary platform for the design and development of CUE Biologics for in vivo (in the patient’s body) T cell-based immunotherapy. In the context of cancer, CUE Biologics are designed to selectively activate disease-associated T cells to proliferate and attack tumor cells. For the treatment of autoimmune diseases, CUE Biologics are designed to selectively ablate disease-associated T cell responses directed against self tissue.