On February 19, 2025, Epitopea, a transatlantic cancer immunotherapeutics company, entered a license and research collaboration agreement with MSD (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA) to identify Cryptigen™ tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) in an undisclosed solid tumor. Epitopea will use its proprietary CryptoMap™ platform to identify and provide novel Cryptigen™ TSAs, which are derived from previously non-coding regions of the genome.

Under the agreement, MSD secured exclusive rights to develop and commercialize therapeutics based on the identified TSAs. Epitopea received an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible for milestone payments of up to $300 million per product, contingent on development and commercialization success.

The collaboration supports the advancement of next-generation off-the-shelf immunotherapies, reinforcing Epitopea’s transition to a clinical-stage company following its oversubscribed pre-Series A financing. The deal also enhances MSD’s immuno-oncology pipeline.