Keros And Takeda Collaborate On Elritercept For Blood Disorders, Sign An Exclusive Global License Agreement

Keros Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative treatments for disorders related to abnormal signalling of the TGF-ß (Transforming Growth Factor-Beta) protein family. Today, the company announced that it has entered into a global licensing agreement with Takeda for the development and commercialisation of elritercept. 

Jasbir S. Seehra, Ph.D., Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Keros, said in a statement, “We are thrilled to announce this agreement with Takeda, a leader in the haematologic oncology treatment space. We believe this global license further validates Keros’ position as a leader in understanding the role of the TGF-ß family of proteins and the broad potential of this biological pathway.”

This drug candidate is currently undergoing two Phase 2 clinical trials: one targeting patients with very low-, low-, or intermediate risk of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and the second trial centred on myelofibrosis (MF). Additionally, a Phase 3 trial, named RENEW, is set to begin enrolment soon to evaluate elritercept’s effectiveness in treating transfusion-dependent anaemia in MDS patients with very low to intermediate risk.

Chris Rovaldi, President and Chief Operating Officer of Keros, said in a statement, “We believe Takeda is an ideal partner to maximise the potential of Elritercepts differentiated profile and continue to build on the great progress our team has accomplished with elritercept. We expect that the net proceeds from the upfront payment will enable us to extend our operational runway into the fourth quarter of 2028, facilitating the continued advancement of cibotercept (KER-012) and KER-065, both of which are wholly-owned assets with near-term clinical updates.”

As part of the agreement, Takeda gains exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and market elritercept globally, excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Effective immediately, Takeda assumes responsibility for all aspects of development, production, and commercialization. Keros will receive a $200 million upfront payment and may earn over $1.1 billion in milestone payments tied to development, regulatory approvals, and sales achievements. Additionally, Keros will be entitled to tiered royalties on the product's net sales.

P.K. Morrow, Head of the Oncology Therapeutic Area Unit at Takeda, commented, “We are excited to partner with Keros, an accomplished team with exceptional expertise in TGF-ß biology. Building on the promising results elritercept has shown in the clinic to date, we look forward to continuing to explore its potential and to having the opportunity to potentially deliver it to patients with hhaematologicdisorders. This agreement aligns with our goal of advancing therapies that may shift the treatment paradigm for underserved patient populations.”