Japan headquartered Sosei Group Corporation has entered into a multi-target research collaboration and license agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to discover and develop novel medicines (new small molecules and/or biologics) that modulate G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets of interest to Genentech.

Under the terms of the agreement, the collaboration will combine the proprietary GPCR-focused structure-based drug design capabilities at Sosei Heptares with Genentech's discovery, development and therapeutic area expertise directed towards multiple GPCR targets nominated by Genentech. The nominated targets represent promising new therapeutic intervention points across a range of diseases.

Genentech will be responsible for developing and commercializing potential new medicines for each novel target and will have exclusive global rights to these agents.

Sosei Heptares is eligible to receive US$26 million in upfront and near-term payments, in addition to future milestone payments that may exceed US$1 billion for achieving pre-specified research, development and commercialization events. Sosei Heptares is also eligible to receive royalty payments on the net sales of potential future medicines resulting from the collaboration.