Merck was granted worldwide rights to Ambrilia’s HIV/AIDS protease inhibitor (PI) program, according to an exclusive licensing agreement between the two companies.
Under the terms of this agreement, Merck gained the rights to Ambrilia’s lead compound, PPL-100, which has completed a Phase I single-dose pharmacokinetic study and is currently in a Phase I repeat-dose pharmacokinetic study.
In return, Ambrilia receives an upfront licensing fee of $17 million on signing and is eligible for cash payments totaling up to $215 million upon successful completion of development, clinical, regulatory, and sales milestones, as well as royalties on all future product sales.
The first milestone payments of $3 million will be based on the successful completion of a Phase I repeat-dose pharmacokinetic study, the results of which are expected in late November. Once this Phase I study is completed, Merck will assume all subsequent development costs related to PPL-100.
Ambrilia also stands to receive additional milestone-based cash payments and royalties on the future development and commercialization of each back-up compound and/or related compounds developed by Merck, which fall within the scope of the Ambrilia PI program.