Merck licenses small molecules from Harvard

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is paying Harvard University $20 million up front in exchange for an exclusive, worldwide license to preclinical small molecule inhibitors of enzymes that regulate transcription to treat acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and other cancers.

The molecules were developed in the lab of Matthew Shair, a professor in Harvard's department of chemistry and chemical biology, and were partly funded by Harvard's Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator, which identifies early stage technologies at the university and prepares them for licensing and commercial development. ...