Finding cancer flexibility

Generic drug maker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has no internal research capabilities and has for years leveraged its relationships with Israeli academic organizations and startup biotechs to provide it with early stage opportunities as it has built up its pipeline of innovative compounds.

Based on the productivity of its domestic in-licensing effort, Teva decided in early 2008 to take a more global approach in its search for new product opportunities. In its latest deal last week, Teva received exclusive, ex-Japanese rights from Mersana Therapeutics Inc. to XMT-1107, an anti-angiogenic fumagillin analog to treat cancer that is delivered via Mersana's Fleximer polymer technology...