Celgene, Antengene deal

Antengene gained rights in Taiwan and China, including Hong Kong and Macau, to oncology candidate CC-223 from Celgene. Celgene received an undisclosed equity stake in Antengene, and took a board seat. Antengene will be responsible for local development and commercialization of CC-223. Founder and Chairman Jay Mei said the company intends to begin Phase II/III trials in the region of the candidate to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mei was an executive director of clinical development in hematology and oncology at Celgene.

The candidate, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; FRAP; RAFT1) kinase, has shown "preliminary clinical activities" in HCC and glioblastoma, Antengene said. Celgene spokesperson Brian Gill declined to comment on the deal...