Dark Blue Therapeutics acquired by Amgen for up to $840 million
Dark Blue Therapeutics, a discovery and development biotech company pioneering the next generation of precision oncology medicines, has been acquired by Amgen.
Dark Blue's lead candidate DBT 3757, currently in IND-enabling studies, represents a first-in-class therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with the potential for producing strong, broad and durable responses as an effective single-agent therapy. In addition, its favourable safety profile suggests it could serve as a foundation for combination treatments earlier in the therapeutic course.
Leveraging partnerships with world-leading academic experts, Dark Blue has been able to translate cutting-edge discoveries into previously unexploited Achilles-heel vulnerabilities and dependencies in cancer. The MLLT 1/3 programme's scientific foundation is rooted in unique insights from Oxford University and was awarded pre-seed funding from the 'LAB282' initiative. Dark Blue has been strongly supported by investors Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and Evotec.
Alastair MacKinnon, CEO of Dark Blue Therapeutics
Amgen has the expertise, resources and commitment to accelerate development of DBT 3757 to treat patients with acute leukemia, including those that do not respond to current standard therapies. With its world-leading capabilities in oncology and deep experience in developing, manufacturing, and commercializing novel medicines, we are confident that Amgen will build on our pre-clinical work to bring DBT 3757 to the patients who urgently need new treatment options. We extend our sincere thanks to the entire Dark Blue team for their dedication and hard work, and to our investors OSE, BMS, and Evotec, whose invaluable support has made this achievement possible.
Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen, said:
Acute myeloid leukemia remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat, and we see an urgent need for new mechanisms capable of changing the trajectory of this disease. This acquisition complements and extends our research in targeted protein degradation and leukemia therapeutics, advancing our strategy to invest early in rising medicines for novel therapeutic targets. The adjacency of this program to our considered expertise in cancer biology will propel MLLT1/3-targeting medicines to clinical investigation for patients facing the challenging diagnosis of AML.
Amgen expects to integrate Dark Blue Therapeutics into its existing research organization, further strengthening the company's early oncology discovery efforts.
Craig Fox, Oxford Science Enterprises Board Representative, added:
As early supporters of Dark Blue, we are delighted to see the Company's lead candidate, DBT 3757, a targeted protein degradation therapeutic, reach this important milestone. From the outset, we believed that targeting MLLT1/3 represents a first-in-class therapeutic strategy for patients with AML and ALL, and the progress made to date has strengthened that conviction. The acquisition by Amgen, a world-leading pharmaceutical company, is a strong validation of Dark Blue's science, team, and vision. We look forward to seeing this promising therapy advance swiftly into clinical development and ultimately reach patients living with this devastating disease.
