Mereo BioPharma Group PLC (MREO) News & EventsMREOMereo BioPharma Group PLC

Mereo BioPharma Signs License Agreement with Sentynl for Alvelestat

Mereo BioPharma and Sentynl Therapeutics, a U.S.-based biopharmaceutical company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Zydus Lifesciences, have entered into an option and license agreement for the U.S. commercial and global manufacturing rights to alvelestat for AATD-LD. Alvelestat is a neutrophil elastase inhibitor being readied for Phase 3 and, if approved, would be the first oral treatment for this rare, progressive genetic lung disease. The option and license agreement grants Sentynl the exclusive right to acquire a license to commercialize alvelestat for AATD-LD in the U.S., with Mereo retaining commercial rights in the rest of the world. The agreement also grants Sentynl global rights to manufacture alvelestat for AATD-LD and on option exercise, it provides funding for the alvelestat Phase 3 development program, which could be initiated in early 2027. Mereo will receive a non-refundable option fee from Sentynl and, on exercise of the option, the company would also receive up to $40M in upfront and R&D payments until NDA filing. Under these terms, Mereo would also be eligible to receive double-digit tiered royalties on U.S. net sales of alvelestat. Mereo will lead the global Phase 3 study and regulatory interactions until the study is completed.

Mereo BioPharma Partners with Sentynl Therapeutics to Advance AATD-LD Study

"The partnership with Sentynl Therapeutics which we announced earlier today marks a significant milestone for our alvelestat program and for the Company as a whole. We are now working together to refine the design of the global Phase 3 study for our potential first-in-class oral therapy for AATD-LD and look forward to a continued close collaboration during the short option period. Assuming exercise of the license option by Sentynl, we plan to initiate the Phase 3 trial in early 2027," said Denise Scots-Knight, Chief Executive Officer of Mereo BioPharma. "Additionally, alongside our partner Ultragenyx, we have had initial regulatory interactions on setrusumab with the FDA and the MHRA and we expect to be in a position to provide an update on the potential path forward by the end of this year. We finished the quarter with approximately $30 million in cash. Thanks to our careful expense management, we now expect that this cash will provide runway into late-2027, exclusive of the potential $40 million in upfront and R&D payments that we are eligible to receive on exercise of the alvelestat option by Sentynl."

Mereo Engages Regulatory Agencies on Setrusumab with Ultragenyx

"Based on extensive analysis of data across the two global Phase 3 studies of setrusumab in osteogenesis imperfecta in collaboration with our partner Ultragenyx, we believe there is basis to engage with the regulatory agencies to determine if there is a path forward in pediatric patients. These interactions have been initiated, and we plan to provide updates once we have some definitive feedback. We continue to believe that setrusumab has the potential to provide meaningful benefit for people living with OI, a condition with no FDA or EMA approved therapies," said Denise Scots-Knight, Chief Executive Officer of Mereo. "We are engaged with potential partners for alvelestat in AATD-LD and believe alvelestat can quickly enter Phase 3 development following closing of a partnership transaction. Our other partnered program, vantictumab, is continuing to move forward with shibio, who plan to initiate a Phase 2 trial in osteopetrosis in the second half of 2026. We continue to expect that our cash position, which totaled $36.2 million as of March 31, will provide runway into mid-2027, through several key inflection points expected during the remainder of this year."