Merck, NGM partner on preclinical compounds

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc. (South San Francisco, Calif.) entered a five-year research collaboration that gives Merck options to license multiple preclinical candidates from NGM, including cardio-metabolic and cancer programs.

The partnership includes NGM's NP201 program to treat diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Aetna Wun Trombley, NGM's VP of business development, said NP201 "consists of multiple biologic compounds"; neither NGM nor Merck would disclose details regarding its mechanism of action. ...