Advising AstraZeneca on cancer drug collaboration

Gowling WLG acted for AstraZeneca on this transaction. Merck will pay AstraZeneca up to $8.5 billion in total consideration, including $1.6 billion upfront, $750 million for certain license options and up to $6.15 billion contingent upon successful achievement of future regulatory and sales milestones. The team included Patrick Duxbury, Luke Kempton, Jenny Davies, Chris Freeth, Mathilda Davidson and Ammina Rao plus Jeremy Millington in corporate. The AstraZeneca in house legal team was led by Deputy General Counsel Liam McIlveen and Senior Counsel Matt Chuter.

Commenting on the firm's role, Patick Duxbury, partner, said:

"It has been a pleasure to be able to assist in relation to such an important programme to develop new cancer therapies. Combining and collaborating the efforts of such major players in oncology is key to driving the innovation, new ideas and problem-solving skills that are required to tackle cancer.

"We have been proud to add to the expertise that these two companies bring to pharmaceutical development with a legal team that brings sector focused insight and experience to bear on such a major deal."

The companies will develop and commercialise Lynparza jointly, both as monotherapy and in combination with other potential medicines. Independently, the companies will develop and commercialise Lynparza in combination with their respective PD-L1 and PD-1 medicines, Imfinzi (durvalumab) and Keytruda (pembrolizumab).