Roche announced an exclusive licensing and collaboration agreement with Nurix Therapeutics to co-develop and co-commercialize bexobrutideg (NX-5948), an investigational Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) degrader. The partnership spans clinical development across B-cell malignancies, immunology, and neurology, expanding Roche’s oncology pipeline while creating opportunities in chronic spontaneous urticaria and multiple sclerosis.
The agreement centers on bexobrutideg, an oral targeted BTK degrader that utilizes targeted protein degradation to eliminate the BTK protein rather than simply inhibiting its activity. Roche believes the therapy has the potential to become a best-in-class treatment option for patients with B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), by potentially overcoming resistance mechanisms associated with existing BTK inhibitors.
Patients with B-cell-driven cancers continue to face significant unmet needs despite advances in BTK inhibitors and other therapies. Many CLL patients eventually experience disease progression due to acquired resistance mutations, incomplete pathway suppression, or treatment intolerance, limiting long-term effectiveness and creating a need for additional treatment options.
Bexobrutideg is expected to enter a Phase 3 clinical trial in the summer of 2026 for second-line treatment of CLL. According to available clinical data, the investigational therapy has demonstrated the potential for improved efficacy and tolerability compared with current treatments. Roche also plans to explore combination regimens involving bexobrutideg and selected agents from its existing B-cell malignancy portfolio.
The collaboration extends beyond oncology. Because BTK serves as a key signaling pathway in immunology and neurology, bexobrutideg’s ability to eliminate both the kinase and scaffolding functions of BTK across immune cell types may offer enhanced efficacy and durability in diseases such as chronic spontaneous urticaria and multiple sclerosis.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nurix will receive an upfront payment of $700 million and may earn development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments that bring the total potential value of the deal to up to $2.3 billion. Development expenses will be shared, with Roche covering 60% and Nurix covering 40% of costs. The companies will split profits and losses equally from U.S. commercialization and will jointly commercialize the therapy in the United States. Outside the U.S., Roche will lead commercialization efforts while Nurix receives royalties ranging from the low- to high-teens.
The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including antitrust review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2026.
KEY QUOTES:
“At Roche, our goal is to create new possibilities for patients with challenging diseases. We believe bexobrutideg could represent a major leap forward in the fight against complex blood cancers and other diseases. We are proud to join forces with Nurix to accelerate these potential breakthroughs.”
Levi Garraway, Chief Medical Officer And Head Of Global Product Development, Roche
“We believe Roche is the ideal partner to help translate the promise of targeted protein degradation into meaningful impact for patients worldwide. As a single agent, bexobrutideg has shown highly promising results in B cell malignancy clinical trials to date and we can now rapidly expand our Phase 3 program enhanced by Roche’s global reach. We are also excited to explore combination regimens utilising selected agents from Roche’s portfolio of successful B-cell malignancy drugs. In addition, collaborating with Roche uniquely enables our ability to extend the cross-therapeutic opportunity of bexobrutideg in immunology and neurology.”
Arthur T. Sands, President And Chief Executive Officer, Nurix Therapeutics
