Novartis and Servier in Oncology Collaboration

Novartis has teamed with the French drug maker Servier to develop and commercialize novel drug candidates targeting apoptosis in oncology.

The collaboration covers BCL-2 selective inhibitor candidates - developed by Servier and Vernalis - currently entering clinical development. Proteins of the BCL-2 family are crucial regulators of apoptosis (programmed cell death).

“These new compounds further extends Servier’s portfolio beyond kinase inhibitors, HDAC inhibitors and immunitherapeutic products,” said Dr Jean-Pierre Abastado of Servier’s Center of Therapeutic Innovation in Oncology.