Astex partners early

Astex Ltd. says last week's deal with Novartis AG for two CDK inhibitors for cancer will provide it with clinical experience and, potentially, the opportunity to build a U.S. sales force.

Under the deal, Astex (Cambridge, U.K.) granted Novartis (NVS; SWX:NOVN, Basel, Switzerland) a worldwide license to AT9311, an oral CDK inhibitor in preclinical development to treat solid tumors. NVS also received an option to license AT7519, an intravenous CDK inhibitor in Phase I trials to treat advanced solid tumors. ...