C4 Therapeutics, Inc. (C4T) announced it has entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Merck KGaA to exclusively discover two targeted protein degraders against critical oncogenic proteins that C4T has progressed within its internal discovery pipeline. Under the terms of the agreement, C4T and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will collaborate to discover two targeted protein degraders against critical oncogenic proteins. C4T will receive an upfront payment of $16 million.

Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, will fund C4T?s discovery research efforts. C4T has the potential to receive up to approximately $740 million in discovery, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments across the collaboration. In addition, C4T is eligible for mid-single to low-double digit tiered royalties on future sales for each program.

As part of the collaboration, C4T will utilize its proprietary TORPEDO® platform to discover degraders targeting the partnership?s oncogenic proteins of interest. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will be responsible for clinical development and commercialization for drug candidates coming out of these programs.