Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has signed a worldwide licensing agreement with Novogen, an oncology-focused biotechnology company headquartered in New South Wales, Australia, to develop and commercialize GDC-0084, a small-molecule inhibitor of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway being developed to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer. GDC-0084 has an open investigational new drug application (IND) with the US Food and Drug Administration.

Under the agreement, Novogen will pay Genentech an upfront payment of $5 million and performance-related consideration linked to regulatory and commercial outcomes. In addition, Genentech will receive royalty payments in-line with industry benchmarks. Genentech will initiate transfer of the IND to Novogen as well as manufacturing and analytical processes.

Source: Novogen