Microbiome-biotech Finch Therapeutics announced last week that its five-year partnership with Takeda is coming to an end.
As the companies part ways, Massachusetts-based Finch will also be regaining its two IBD drug candidates, FIN-524 and FIN-525, effective November 17. FIN-524 and FIN-525 are investigational microbiome candidates made of bacterial strains selected for their potential immunotherapeutic effects, given orally.
Just a little over a year ago, Finch revealed that custody for FIN-524 would be handed over to Takeda. At the time, Finch said in a press release that Takeda had “elected to accelerate the transition of development responsibility for the FIN-524 ulcerative colitis development program,” taking over the primary development responsibility for the program and changing its name to TAK-524.
During the time that the companies have been collaborating, Finch has been paid more than $44 million by Takeda, including an initial payment of $10 million for the two drug candidates, followed by milestone payments and over $30 million for the reimbursement of expenses related to the research and development of the drugs.