Aveo Forms $15 Million Cancer Deal With J&J Unit

Cambridge-based Aveo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVEO]]) has entered into a licensing deal with Centocor Ortho Biotech, a unit of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]), according to a press release. The two companies will work together on Aveo’s antibodies targeting the RON (Recepteur d’Origine Nantais) receptor, which may be involved in regulation of tumor growth, cancer survival and metastasis, and bone disruption. The deal is worth $15 million up front to AVEO, plus up to $540 million in milestone payments and royalties.

Author: Arlene Weintraub

Arlene is an award-winning journalist specializing in life sciences and technology. She was previously a senior health writer based out of the New York City headquarters of BusinessWeek, where she wrote hundreds of articles that explored both the science and business of health. Her freelance pieces have been published in USA Today, US News & World Report, Technology Review, and other media outlets. Arlene has won awards from the New York Press Club, the Association of Health Care Journalists, the Foundation for Biomedical Research, and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Her book about the anti-aging industry, Selling the Fountain of Youth, was published by Basic Books in September 2010.