Gilead Sciences
On Wednesday, Gilead announced that it was licensing an HIV development program drug from Boehringer Ingelheim. The deal includes BI 224436, which has been tested in a phase 1 trial already and follow-on compounds in the same class.
The drugs target the same protein as Merck's
Boehringer Ingelheim has been striking deals with American drugmakers recently. Earlier this year, the company paired up with Eli Lilly
The partnership comes with standard upfront, milestone, and royalty payments, but the details weren't disclosed. The company got a better deal with Johnson & Johnson
Of course, nothing will beat the quad, which Gilead owns in its entirety. Gilead may not be resting on its laurels, but the approval and sales of the Quad are still the most important near-term issues for Gilead.