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BridGene Biosciences Announces Strategic Collaboration with Galapagos to Discover Small Molecule Drugs for Oncology Targets

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BridGene Biosciences, a leader in small molecule drug discovery, announced a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Galapagos NV. The collaboration will focus on discovering novel small molecule drug candidates against oncology targets, with potential upfront and milestone payments of over $700 million. BridGene will use its chemoproteomics platform, IMTAC™, to advance molecules to clinical candidates, with Galapagos having exclusive rights to develop and commercialize them. The company is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales of resulting products.
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The strategic collaboration between BridGene Biosciences and Galapagos NV encompasses significant financial implications, particularly with the potential for BridGene to receive over $700 million in payments. This figure includes both upfront and milestone payments, which are contingent upon the success of the preclinical and clinical development of novel small molecule drug candidates. The tiered royalties on net sales introduce a long-term revenue stream for BridGene, conditional on the commercial success of the products.

From an investor's standpoint, the substantial upfront payment of $27 million provides immediate capital influx, which can be instrumental in accelerating BridGene's research and development efforts. The milestone payments, while speculative, offer a roadmap for potential future income. However, the inherent risk in drug development, particularly in oncology, should be considered, as many candidates fail to reach commercialization. The deal structure, with its success-based payments, aligns the interests of both companies and mitigates financial risk for Galapagos.

The announcement might result in positive investor sentiment towards both companies, potentially affecting their stock prices. For BridGene, the collaboration with an established player like Galapagos could be seen as a validation of their IMTAC™ platform and may enhance their credibility in the biotech industry.

The collaboration leverages BridGene's IMTAC™ chemoproteomics platform, a cutting-edge technology that enables the identification of small molecule drugs for targets previously considered undruggable. The focus on oncology is noteworthy, as cancer remains a leading cause of death globally and innovation in this field is in high demand.

For stakeholders, the implications of this collaboration are twofold. Firstly, it could expedite the discovery and development of novel therapies for cancer patients with limited treatment options, addressing an unmet medical need. Secondly, the success of these drug candidates could significantly disrupt the oncology market, potentially introducing new standards of care.

While the partnership is promising, it's important to recognize that drug discovery and development is a lengthy and uncertain process. The clinical success of these candidates is not guaranteed and the timeline to market, including the duration of clinical trials and the regulatory approval process, can impact when and if the financial benefits materialize.

The deal between BridGene and Galapagos reflects a growing trend in the pharmaceutical industry towards collaboration and licensing agreements to pool resources and expertise. Such partnerships are particularly prevalent in the field of oncology, where the complexity of the disease necessitates innovative approaches.

Market analysis indicates that precision medicine in oncology is expanding rapidly, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected to be significant in the coming years. BridGene's focus on 'hard-to-drug' targets using their proprietary platform positions them well within this growth sector. The collaboration could potentially lead to a competitive edge in the market, especially if successful drug candidates emerge from the partnership.

It is essential to monitor the progress of the collaboration closely, as each phase of clinical development could influence the market's perception of both companies' potential. Positive clinical trial results could lead to increased investor confidence and a stronger market position, while any setbacks could have the opposite effect.

BridGene Eligible to Receive More Than $700 Million in Potential Upfront and Milestone Payments

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BridGene Biosciences, Inc., a leader in the discovery of small molecule drugs for traditional "hard-to-drug" targets, announced today a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Galapagos NV (Euronext & NASDAQ: GLPG). Under the collaboration, BridGene will use its chemoproteomics platform, IMTAC™, to discover novel small molecule drug candidates against the collaboration targets. The parties will collaborate to advance the molecules to clinical candidates, which Galapagos has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize.

The preclinical research collaboration will focus on oncology targets named by Galapagos. Galapagos will pay BridGene up to $27 million in upfront and preclinical research milestone payments and more than $700 million in clinical and commercial milestones, assuming success of the programs. BridGene is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales of each product resulting from the collaboration.

"BridGene's proven expertise in discovering small molecule drugs for challenging targets positions them as an ideal partner in pioneering new avenues in oncology drug discovery," said Pierre Raboisson, PhD, Senior Vice President and Head of Small Molecules Discovery at Galapagos. "By integrating BridGene's innovative platform with our robust capabilities in drug discovery and clinical development, we are poised to develop breakthrough cancer therapies. Our goal is to deliver transformative precision medicines for cancer with limited treatment options."

"We are excited to collaborate with Galapagos in the discovery of new drugs targeting critical and challenging targets in oncology. The depth of Galapagos' scientific expertise in oncology aligns perfectly with our capabilities and this collaboration will further reinforce our strong track record in identifying drugs for difficult targets," stated Ping Cao, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of BridGene Biosciences. "Partnering is a fundamental strategy for BridGene. We aim to create collaborations that significantly boost the likelihood of success. This is achieved by integrating our innovative discovery platform and expertise in tackling "hard-to-drug" targets with the wide-ranging scientific, clinical, and commercial expertise of partners like Galapagos."

About BridGene Biosciences
BridGene is a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing innovative small molecules that drug traditionally undruggable targets, providing new paths to treat diseases. By using its proprietary chemoproteomic platform, IMTAC™, BridGene is able to screen small molecules against all proteins in live cells to discover drug candidates for high value and previously undruggable targets. For this purpose, BridGene takes advantage of its proprietary, diverse covalent library of tagged, drug-like small molecules. The ultimate goal is to enable breakthrough small-molecule drug discovery and to expand the mechanisms to treat diseases, with targets previously inaccessible to small molecules. BridGene is advancing a diversified pipeline of first-in-class drugs for targets in multiple disease areas. For more information, visit https://bridgenebio.com/.

About Galapagos
Galapagos is a fully integrated biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative medicines. Galapagos is committed to improving patients' lives worldwide by targeting diseases with high unmet needs. Galapagos's R&D capabilities cover multiple drug modalities, including small molecules and cell therapies, and its portfolio comprises discovery through to commercialized programs in immunology, oncology, and other indications. Galapagos's first medicine for rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis is available in Europe and Japan. For additional information, please visit glpg.com or follow Galapagos on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Contact
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
Daniel Kontoh-Boateng (investors)
862-213-1398
dboateng@tiberend.com

Eric Reiss (media)
802-249-1136
ereiss@tiberend.com

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SOURCE BridGene Biosciences

FAQ

What did BridGene Biosciences announce?

BridGene Biosciences announced a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Galapagos NV for the discovery of small molecule drug candidates against oncology targets.

What is the potential upfront and milestone payments for BridGene?

BridGene is eligible to receive over $700 million in potential upfront and milestone payments from Galapagos for the collaboration.

What is BridGene's chemoproteomics platform used for?

BridGene will use its chemoproteomics platform, IMTAC™, to advance molecules to clinical candidates against the collaboration targets.

Who has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the discovered molecules?

Galapagos has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the molecules discovered through the collaboration with BridGene.

What is BridGene eligible to receive on net sales of resulting products?

BridGene is eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales of each product resulting from the collaboration with Galapagos.

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