FOSTER CITY - Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced an agreement with Everest Medicines to transfer all development and commercialization rights to Gilead for Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) in Greater China, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Mongolia.
In China mainland and Singapore, Trodelvy is approved for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have received two or more prior systemic therapies, at least one of them for metastatic disease. Gilead continues to work closely with regulatory bodies in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, where New Drug Applications, filed by Everest Medicines for metastatic TNBC, are currently under review.
'Trodelvy is approved for second-line metastatic TNBC in over 35 countries. We thank Everest Medicines for their partnership and important contributions in the development of Trodelvy in Asia. Their collaboration has brought us closer to bringing Trodelvy to patients who need alternative options,' said Bill Grossman, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President, Oncology Clinical Research, Gilead Sciences. 'Trodelvy is the cornerstone of our solid tumor portfolio, and we are committed to bringing this transformative therapy to as many patients as possible. We look forward to rapidly advancing our development program in Asia and to realizing the clinical potential of Trodelvy across diverse tumor types.'
In April 2019, Everest Medicines and Immunomedics entered into an agreement granting Everest Medicines an exclusive license to develop and commercialize Trodelvy in Greater China, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Mongolia, excluding Japan. Gilead subsequently acquired Immunomedics in October 2020 and created an extensive global clinical development program, including investigating Trodelvy as a monotherapy and in novel combinations, across multiple disease areas including non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic urothelial cancer and gastrointestinal cancers.
'We welcome the opportunity to restructure our partnership with Gilead, which has been built on a shared vision of providing innovative oncology solutions for patients in need. With capital resources and a track record of successful therapeutic development and commercialization for Trodelvy in the U.S., Gilead is an ideal partner to further develop and commercialize Trodelvy in Asia Pacific regions to maximize patient access,' said Kerry Blanchard, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Everest Medicines. 'I am exceedingly proud of what Everest has accomplished in advancing Trodelvy in China and other Asia territories, and we will continue to bring more transformational therapies to patients in China and worldwide with our extensive pipeline of clinical and pre-clinical stage assets.'
Under the terms of the agreement, Gilead will make a $280 million upfront payment to Everest. In addition, Everest is eligible to receive up to $175 million in potential additional payments upon achievement of certain regulatory and commercial milestones. Gilead will also have the opportunity to recruit Everest employees working directly on the Trodelvy program. The transaction is expected to close later this year, and will be subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Everest's shareholders.
About Trodelvy
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) is a first-in-class Trop-2 directed antibody-drug conjugate. Trop-2 is a cell surface antigen highly expressed in multiple tumor types, including in more than 90% of breast and bladder cancers. Trodelvy is intentionally designed with a proprietary hydrolyzable linker attached to SN-38, a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload. This unique combination delivers potent activity to both Trop-2 expressing cells and the microenvironment.
Trodelvy is approved in over 35 countries, with multiple additional regulatory reviews underway worldwide, for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have received two or more prior systemic therapies, at least one of them for metastatic disease. Trodelvy is also approved in the U.S. under the accelerated approval pathway for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) who have previously received a platinum-containing chemotherapy and either programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor.
Trodelvy is also being developed for potential investigational use in other TNBC and metastatic UC populations, as well as a range of tumor types where Trop-2 is highly expressed, including hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer, metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC), head and neck cancer, and endometrial cancer.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the possibility that various closing conditions for the transaction may not be satisfied or waived; the risk that Gilead may not realize the potential benefits of this transaction; Gilead's ability to initiate, progress or complete clinical trials within currently anticipated timelines or at all, and the possibility of unfavorable results from ongoing or additional clinical trials, including those involving Trodelvy; uncertainties relating to regulatory applications for Trodelvy and related filing and approval timelines, including for the treatment of metastatic TNBC, mUC, HR+/HER2- breast cancer, NSCLC, SCLC, head and neck cancer, and endometrial cancer, in the currently anticipated timelines or at all; Gilead's ability to receive regulatory approvals for such indications in a timely manner or at all, including regulatory approvals in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan for metastatic TNBC, and the risk that any such approvals may be subject to significant limitations on use; the possibility that Gilead may make a strategic decision to discontinue development of Trodelvy for such indications and as a result, Trodelvy may never be commercialized for these indications; the risk that physicians may not see the benefits of prescribing Trodelvy and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and other factors are described in detail in Gilead's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation and disclaims any intent to update any such forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Jacquie Ross
Email: investorrelations@gilead.com
GILEAD SCIENCES, INC. 
