Takeda has agreed to receive an exclusive global licence from Keros Therapeutics to advance the development, manufacture and commercialisation of the investigational activin inhibitor elritercept for anaemia outside Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.

The move aims to strengthen Takeda's oncology pipeline. From the effective date of the agreement, the company will be responsible for all subsequent development activities.

The company will pay Keros $200m upfront and potentially $1.1bn in development, approval, and sales milestones.

Keros is also eligible for tiered royalties on net sales. The agreement's activation is contingent upon clearance under the US's Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

Keros Therapeutics CEO and chair Jasbir Seehra stated: “We are excited to partner with Takeda, whose global reach and expertise in oncology and haematology will help unlock elritercept’s potential for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDF) and myelofibrosis (MF) [rare types of anaemia-related blood (haematologic) cancers].

“With a differentiated mechanism of action targeting a broad range of pathways in blood cell production, elritercept has shown promise for patients who have not responded to standard therapies. This collaboration will accelerate the development of elritercept for patients in need and offer new insights into these complex haematologic conditions.”

Elritercept specifically targets activin A and B proteins, which are implicated in anaemia-related conditions.

The therapy, currently in two Phase II studies, will be evaluated in the upcoming Phase III RENEW trial, targeting transfusion-dependent anaemia in very low, low or intermediate-risk MDS patients.

Takeda plans a comprehensive evaluation of elritercept across various patient groups and treatment stages.

The therapy has demonstrated a manageable safety profile in early clinical trials, both as a monotherapy for MDS and in combination with standard care for MF. It has secured fast track status from the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of MDS.

In November 2024, Takeda and Alloy Therapeutics partnered for the development of advanced cancer therapies using stem cell technology.