Merck KGaA, spying a major market, pays Aqilion €10M to tackle tough autoimmune target

Merck KGaA is betting 10 million euros ($10.7 million) that Aqilion has the keys to a tough target. The Big Pharma is handing over that sum, and committing 950 million euros ($1.02 billion) in milestones, for preclinical inhibitors of TAK1 that have applications in a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.