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VelosBio was a privately held company that developed VLS-101, now zilovertamab vedotin, an antibody that carries a drug to cancer cells carrying a protein called ROR1. Merck bought it in 2020.
VelosBio Inc. was a privately held clinical-stage company in San Diego developing cancer therapies aimed at ROR1 (receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1). Its lead candidate, VLS-101, an antibody-drug conjugate against ROR1, was in a phase 1 trial in blood cancers and a phase 2 trial in solid tumours when Merck agreed on 5 November 2020 to buy the company for USD 2.75 billion in cash, subject to customary adjustments. Merck's annual report for 2020 records the acquisition as completed in December 2020, for USD 2.8 billion, and gives VLS-101 its Merck code, MK-2140; it is now called zilovertamab vedotin.
Investors not recorded; see the round sources.
| Round | Year | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition · Merck's announcement of 5 November 2020: USD 2.75 billion in cash, subject to customary adjustments; Merck's 2020 Form 10-K records completion in December 2020 at USD 2.8 billion | 2020 | $2.8B | merck.com |
Amounts only where the cited source states them. Rounds without a public source are not listed.
| Date | Deal | Type | Upfront | Total | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-05 | VelosBio to Merck & Co. (MSD) VLS-101, later zilovertamab vedotin (MK-2140), ROR1 ADC | Acquisition | not disclosed | $2.75bn | source |
Zilovertamab vedotin is a ROR1-directed ADC in phase 3 for large B-cell lymphoma.
Shares ROR1, Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD), Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Shares Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD), Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Shares Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD), Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Shares ROR1, Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Shares Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD).
Shares Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD), Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Shares Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD), Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Shares Zilovertamab vedotin, Merck & Co. (MSD), Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
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