Roche commits $700 million to co-develop Nurix's BTK-degrading drug bexobrutideg

Roche announced a partnership with Nurix Therapeutics to co-develop a protein-degrading therapy called bexobrutideg, which targets the BTK enzyme.

Under the agreement, Roche will pay $700 million upfront, split U.S. commercial rights with Nurix, retain full rights outside the United States, and cover 60% of development costs while granting Nurix royalties on non-U.S. sales.

The deal includes potential milestone payments that could raise Nurix's total compensation to about $2.3 billion if regulatory and sales targets are achieved, reflecting the industry's growing interest in targeted protein degradation.

The collaboration aims to test whether eliminating BTK via degradation offers advantages over existing inhibitors that merely block the enzyme's activity.