OncoMed scores big cancer development pact with Bayer

Germany's Bayer Schering is paying OncoMed $40 million upfront to partner on a slate of new drugs that target cancer stem cells. And the German pharma company is reserving an option to buy up to five programs through Phase I, with OncoMed in line to receive up to $387.5 million for each new biologic and $112 million for each small molecule drug that works its way to an approval. The Redwood City, CA-based OncoMed also stands to earn double-digit royalties on any approved therapies, making this...

Ignoring lawsuit, Bayer takes regorafenib into PhIII cancer study

Germany's Bayer Schering Pharma is marching ahead into a Phase III study of regorafenib for colorectal cancer, gambling that it can successfully fend off a legal attack from its U.S. partner Onyx. Regorafenib (BAY 73-4506) is closely related to the blockbuster therapy Nexavar, which is controlled by Onyx and Bayer. Onyx filed suit against Bayer a year ago, saying that the new cancer drug can be distinguished from Nexavar by only a single atom. As Reuters points out, both are multikinase...