Array BioPharma has achieved a $10 million clinical research milestone in its collaboration with Celgene, with the planned initiation of a Phase I dose escalation trial in cancer patients with ARRY-382, a small molecule cFMS inhibitor.

Array is responsible for the continued development of ARRY-382 through Phase I and Celgene has an option to obtain exclusive rights to the drug. If Celgene exercises this option, it would be responsible for further development and commercialization and Array would be eligible to receive additional milestones and royalties on sales.

“Our partnership with Array reflects the important role the cFMS pathway plays in cancer,” said Tom Daniel, M.D., president of Research and Early Development for Celgene. “Array has expeditiously delivered this promising new agent to IND and we look forward to evaluating its activity in cancer patients as we continue our ongoing collaboration on additional targets.”

Additionally, Array is working to advance two preclinical collaboration targets, TYK2 inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory disease and PDGFR inhibitors for the treatment of fibrosis. Under the terms of the collaboration, Celgene has the option to select a total of two programs.