6 July 2022 - - Indian clinical stage biotech company Aurigene Discovery Technologies has inked a drug discovery, development and commercialization agreement with US-based biotechnology company EQRx (NASDAQ: EQRX), the company said.

The collaboration combines Aurigene's small molecule drug discovery platform and EQRx's pioneering business model to accelerate the development of drug candidates in the areas of oncology and immune-inflammatory diseases and improve global access to innovative medicines.

Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Aurigene and EQRx will collaborate on drug discovery, pre-clinical and clinical development and commercialization.

Aurigene will lead drug discovery and pre-clinical development efforts, and EQRx will assume responsibility for clinical development, manufacturing, regulatory and commercialization efforts.

The parties would share both funding for the discovery and development of the programs and financials resulting from the commercialization of any eventual drug candidates.

Aurigene Discovery Technologies Ltd. is a clinical stage biotech company committed to bringing novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and inflammation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Indian drugmaker Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. (BSE: 500124) (NSE: DRREDDY) (NYSE: RDY) (NSEIFSC: DRREDDY).

Based in Bengaluru and Kuala Lumpur, Aurigene has developed deep expertise in cancer and inflammatory disorders, and has continuously invested in its people resources and infrastructure over the years.

In the two decades of working with Pharma, Biotech and Academic partners, Aurigene has contributed to delivering 16 small molecule and peptide drug candidates, currently in clinical development.

Aurigene has also out-licensed several first-in-class and best-in-class compounds to pharma and biotech companies for global clinical development, while undertaking clinical POC studies for a few programs on its own.