Proxygen Announces Strategic Collaboration with Merck to Develop Molecular Glue Degraders
2.6.2022 18:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Proxygen, a leader in the discovery and development of molecular glue degraders, announced today that the company has entered into a strategic multi-year research collaboration and license agreement with Merck. Proxygen is eligible to receive up to €495 million ($554 million at the average USD/EUR FX rate of Q1 2022) in continuous R&D funding, upfront and success-based pre-clinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones, as well as additional royalty payments. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will jointly identify and develop molecular glue degraders up to a clinical candidate stage.
“We are incredibly excited to start this long-term collaboration with Merck, a globally recognized player in the pharmaceutical industry that shares our drive towards dynamic innovation for the benefit of patients. The partnership validates the unique potential of Proxygen’s glue degrader platform and strategically leverages our common strengths in the targeted protein degradation field,” says Dr. Bernd Boidol, CEO of Proxygen.
Molecular glue degraders re-direct the cell’s own quality control machinery towards disease-causing proteins, inducing their selective and complete elimination. Because of their capability to modulate protein classes that would not be amenable to traditional drug discovery approaches, glue degraders hold the promise of unlocking a large proportion of the undruggable target space and delivering innovative therapies for diseases with high medical need. The lack of scalable discovery strategies has however so far hindered the full exploitation of the clinical potential of molecular glue degraders.
By streamlining and fully integrating cutting-edge genomic, proteomic, and biochemical technologies, Proxygen has successfully developed a highly versatile glue degrader discovery engine. The ligase-agnostic screening approach enables the specific and unbiased identification of molecular glue degraders against difficult-to-drug or completely undruggable targets at large scale. The vast amounts of know-how and data generated in the discovery and chemical optimization of degrader molecules continuously improve the understanding of this novel modality and contribute to Proxygen’s pioneering role in the molecular glue degrader space.
About Proxygen
Founded in 2020, Proxygen is focused on the discovery and development of molecular glue degraders against targets of unmet medical need across various indications. While advancing its internal programs towards clinical development, the company also maintains strategic partnerships to co-create synergies along the drug development pipeline. With its headquarters and laboratory operations in Vienna, Austria, Proxygen employs talent both locally and remotely all over Europe. For more information, please visit www.proxygen.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220601005002/en/
Contact information
Proxygen GmbH
Bernd Boidol
Chief Executive Officer
office@proxygen.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Renewable Electricity, Soft Wheat Flour From Regenerative Agriculture, Initiatives to Support Local Communities: Barilla Shares These and Other Projects in “Stories of Sustainability.”5.6.2026 11:00:00 EEST | Press release
A slimmer Tagliatelle pack that saves 150 tons of cardboard and cuts transport-related CO₂ emissions by 20%1; ready-made sauce jars made with around 65% recycled glass; the progressive scaling of regenerative agriculture practices across Barilla’s value chain and initiatives supporting inclusion and equal opportunities across the Group’s production sites and communities. These are just some of the “sustainability” stories the Barilla Group is sharing on World Environment Day with the publication of its 2025 Sustainability Report. The report comes just after Barilla was named the world’s most reputable company in the food sector for the third year running and, for the first time, ranked among the global top 10 in the Global RepTrak 100 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260603162436/en/ “The future of the planet will increasingly depend on our ability to spread culture and education,” says Paolo Barilla, Vic
PUMA and Salehe Bembury Host Immersive Sound-Inspired Experience ahead of Football’s Biggest Tournament at The Row DTLA5.6.2026 10:59:00 EEST | Press release
Global sports company PUMA and visionary designer Salehe Bembury hosted an immersive experience at The Row DTLA celebrating their collaboration ahead of football's biggest global tournament. The activation transformed the historic venue into a series of interactive environments, offering guests an inside look into the creative world behind the partnership. Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles, the event brought football beyond the pitch and into everyday life through the lens of sound and design. The PUMA x SALEHE BEMBURY collaboration kicks off PUMA’s second chapter of football introductions this summer, following the launch of their 11 national federation kits in March. This more streetwear-oriented launch introduces a bespoke collection of travel wear and goalkeeper kits for PUMA’s 11 national federations in the tournament. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260605170982/en/ PUMA and Salehe Bembury Host Imm
Azafaros Announces Publication of Phase 2 RAINBOW Study Data for Nizubaglustat in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Journal5.6.2026 08:00:00 EEST | Press release
Azafaros, a private company building a portfolio to become a leader in lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), focused on addressing neurological symptoms, today announced the publication of clinical data from its Phase 2 (RAINBOW) study in the peer reviewed journal, Molecular Genetics & Metabolism. The published manuscript reports efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data which evaluated nizubaglustat in patients with genetically confirmed GM2 gangliosidosis and NPC. As previously stated in the topline results announcement in July 2024, the RAINBOW study met its primary objective of demonstrating that nizubaglustat was safe and well tolerated. The study also showed encouraging signs of clinical efficacy, reducing disease progression and seizure burden in patients treated with nizubaglustat. “The publication of the RAINBOW data in a peer-reviewed journal represents an important milestone for Azafaros and for the broader lysosomal disease community,” said Stefano Portolano,
K-Startup Grand Challenge 2026: Korea's Full-Cycle Launchpad for Global Startups5.6.2026 04:00:00 EEST | Press release
South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) has opened applications for the K-Startup Grand Challenge (KSGC), the country’s premier government-backed acceleration program for international startups targeting Korea and Asia. Since 2016, KSGC has attracted 21,537 applicants from more than 100 countries, among the world's most recognized inbound programs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260604794426/en/ South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) has opened applications for K-Startup Grand Challenge 2026, a government-backed global startup acceleration program providing end-to-end support for international startups (Image: KSGC) A Full-Cycle Acceleration Journey Unlike conventional programs that focus on a single moment of market entry, KSGC 2026 guides startups from market entry to scale up in Korea - offered in a hybrid format - online or in person - with Demo Day held in Korea. The program runs Jul
Empire State Building Observation Deck Celebrates Soccer with World’s Most Iconic Soccer Jersey Exhibit, Custom ESB Jerseys, Player Visits, Lightings, and More5.6.2026 00:46:00 EEST | Press release
The Empire State Building Observation Deck (ESB) – the #1 Attraction in the United States – today announced further 2026 programming for soccer fans in New York City with the world’s most iconic jersey collection from the Classic Football Shirts (CFS) vault, a limited-edition ESB x CFS jersey, official merch giveaways, and special lightings. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260604370013/en/ Empire State Building Observation Deck Celebrates Soccer with World’s Most Iconic Soccer Jersey Exhibit, Custom ESB Jerseys, Player Visits, Lightings, and More “As the world descends upon New York City for this anticipated global soccer event, fans can visit the Empire State Building Observation Deck for Manhattan’s best skyline views and a one-of-a-kind soccer exhibit,” said Dan Rogoski, observatory general manager. “International and American soccer fans can extend the celebration off the pitch at the #1 Attraction in the
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom