C4 Therapeutics, Inc. has announced a new collaboration agreement with Roche to advance research in a promising cancer treatment approach known as degrader-antibody conjugates (DACs). The partnership builds on a long-standing relationship between the two companies and aims to combine their respective expertise to develop more effective therapies for oncology patients.
Under the agreement, the companies will integrate antibody-drug conjugation (ADC) technology with targeted protein degradation (TPD), a novel scientific approach designed to eliminate disease-causing proteins. By merging these capabilities, the collaboration seeks to create a new therapeutic modality that delivers highly selective cancer treatments with improved precision and efficiency.
Andrew Hirsch, President and Chief Executive Officer of C4 Therapeutics, highlighted the significance of the partnership, noting that the companies have spent the past decade advancing targeted protein degradation as a viable treatment strategy. He emphasized that the collaboration leverages C4 Therapeutics’ ability to design catalytic and selective degraders, alongside Roche’s expertise in developing antibodies with precise targeting capabilities. Together, these strengths are expected to enable the development of transformative cancer therapies.
Roche’s Head of Corporate Business Development, Boris Zaïtra, also underscored the importance of the renewed partnership. He pointed out that Roche recognized the potential of targeted protein degradation early on, initiating its first collaboration with C4 Therapeutics in 2016. The latest agreement marks the third collaboration between the companies and reflects their shared commitment to pioneering innovative cancer treatment modalities.
As part of the joint research plan, the companies will initially focus on two programs targeting undisclosed oncology indications. C4 Therapeutics will utilize its proprietary TORPEDO® platform to design degrader payloads, while Roche will be responsible for selecting and engineering the antibodies, as well as conducting conjugation. Roche will also lead preclinical and clinical development, along with commercialization efforts.
Financially, the agreement includes a $20 million upfront payment to C4 Therapeutics. The company is also eligible for additional payments if Roche exercises an option for a third target. Over the course of the collaboration, C4 Therapeutics could receive more than $1 billion in milestone payments tied to discovery, regulatory progress, and commercial success, in addition to tiered royalties on future product sales.
The collaboration reflects growing industry interest in next-generation cancer therapies that combine multiple cutting-edge technologies, potentially offering new hope for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.