FRANKFURT, March 20 - Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis on Friday agreed to acquire an experimental breast cancer therapy from U.S. biotech Synnovation Therapeutics in a transaction that could reach $3 billion in total value. The structure of the deal calls for $2 billion to be paid at signing, with up to $1 billion in additional payments contingent on further development milestones.
The compound, designated SNV4818, is classified as a selective PI3Kalpha (PI3Kα) inhibitor. Novartis characterized the drug as a targeted approach intended for the treatment of HR positive/HER2 negative breast cancer and potentially other solid tumours. According to the company, SNV4818 has demonstrated promising activity against tumours in laboratory studies and is currently being evaluated in early-stage clinical trials.
Novartis emphasized that SNV4818 selectively targets the mutated form of the PI3Kα enzyme that is frequently implicated in breast and other cancers, while sparing the wild-type enzyme present in healthy cells. The company also indicated the design of the molecule seeks to avoid the tolerability issues associated with existing therapies that inhibit PI3Kα.
"While mutated PI3Kα is a well-established driver in HR+/HER2- breast cancer, there remains a challenge in achieving effective pathway inhibition with a tolerable therapeutic profile," said Shreeram Aradhye, the drugmaker's chief medical officer.
The acquisition augments Novartis's expanding portfolio of precision oncology candidates. The firm noted the purchase complements other targeted cancer programs it is testing, including a radioligand therapy candidate that is already under investigation.
Novartis stated it expects the transaction to be completed in the first half of this year. Beyond the immediate financial terms, the deal transfers the development responsibility for SNV4818 to Novartis as it advances through early clinical stages and any subsequent trials required to meet the contingent payment triggers.
Additional context contained in Novartis's announcement highlights the company's ongoing investment in targeted treatments for oncology and its willingness to use upfront and milestone-based payments to secure candidate assets. The long-term commercial and clinical prospects for SNV4818 will depend on the outcomes of continued preclinical and clinical evaluation.