Epizyme, Eisai Enter Epigenetic Enzyme Engagement

Epizyme, Inc. has entered a worldwide partnership with Eisai Co. to discover, develop and commercialize therapeutics targeting EZH2, an epigenetic enzyme, for the treatment of lymphoma and other cancers. Epizyme will receive $6 million upfront and is eligible to receive more than $200 million in additional R&D and sales milestones, as well as royalties. Eisai will fund all research through human proof-of-concept, at which point Epizyme can opt into a profit share and co-commercialization agreement in the U.S.

“Eisai is committed to bringing epigenetic therapeutics to cancer patients,” said Takashi Owa, Ph.D., president, Oncology Product Creation Unit, Eisai Product Creation Systems. “Epizyme’s proprietary product platform, leadership in determining the oncogenic role of EZH2 in genetically-defined cancers, and success in discovering novel, potent, and selective small molecule inhibitors of histone methyltransferases (HMTs), an important epigenetic target class, led us to them as the partner of choice in epigenetic drug discovery.”

“Our partnership with Eisai reflects our shared belief in the therapeutic potential of this area and is an important element in the ongoing execution of our strategy to build a leading new biopharma company by bringing innovative personalized therapeutics to genetically-defined cancer patients,” said Robert Gould, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Epizyme. “The U.S. profit-share and co-commercialization option is a key element of our strategy to discover, develop and also to commercialize epigenetic medicines.”