Roche, Nurix join hands to develop new drug for blood cancers and immune disorders
Roche partners with Nurix to advance BTK degrader for blood cancers and immune disorders
Bexobrutideg is set to enter Phase 3 trials in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, with plans to expand development into immunology and neurology
Swiss pharmaceutical major Roche has entered into an exclusive licensing and collaboration agreement with Nurix Therapeutics to co-develop and co-commercialise bexobrutideg (NX-5948), an investigational Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) degrader that could offer a new treatment option for patients with B-cell malignancies, immune-mediated conditions and neurological disorders.
The deal expands Roche’s pipeline in malignant haematology while opening potential opportunities in immunology, including chronic spontaneous urticaria, and neurology, including multiple sclerosis. The collaboration will support a clinical development programme spanning all three therapeutic areas.
Focus on unmet need in blood cancers
The agreement comes as patients with B-cell-driven malignancies continue to face treatment challenges despite advances in BTK inhibitors and other therapies. According to Roche, many patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) eventually experience disease progression because of acquired resistance mutations, incomplete pathway suppression or intolerance to long-term treatment. Therapeutic options remain limited after relapse.
Bexobrutideg is an oral targeted protein degrader designed to eliminate the BTK protein rather than simply inhibit its activity. BTK is a validated therapeutic target in B-cell malignancies and plays a central role in disease signalling pathways.
Targeted protein degradation is a therapeutic approach that removes disease-driving proteins from cells rather than blocking their function. Roche and Nurix believe this mechanism may help overcome resistance mechanisms associated with current standard-of-care BTK inhibitors.
Phase 3 trial planned this year
Nurix and Roche plan to initiate a Phase 3 clinical trial of bexobrutideg in summer 2026 for the second-line treatment of CLL.
The companies said available clinical data suggest the drug candidate has the potential to offer higher efficacy and improved tolerability compared with established therapies. They also said the BTK degrader may overcome resistance mechanisms that limit the effectiveness of existing BTK inhibitors.
Levi Garraway, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development at Roche, said the company sees bexobrutideg as a potential advance for patients with complex blood cancers and other difficult-to-treat conditions.
“At Roche, our goal is to create new possibilities for patients with challenging diseases. We believe bexobrutideg could represent a major leap forward in the fight against complex blood cancers and other diseases,” Garraway said.
Beyond oncology
While BTK is best known as a target in B-cell malignancies, it is also involved in signalling pathways linked to several immune and neurological conditions.
According to the companies, bexobrutideg’s ability to eliminate both the kinase and scaffolding functions of BTK across immune cell types could potentially improve efficacy and durability in diseases beyond cancer.
Arthur T. Sands, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nurix Therapeutics, said the partnership would help accelerate the global development programme for bexobrutideg and enable exploration of combination regimens using Roche’s portfolio of B-cell malignancy therapies.
Sands said the collaboration also creates an opportunity to extend the drug’s development into immunology and neurology.
What happens next?
The immediate focus of the collaboration will be advancing bexobrutideg into Phase 3 testing for CLL. The programme will also evaluate the molecule’s potential across a broader range of conditions in immunology and neurology.
For Roche, the agreement strengthens its malignant haematology portfolio while adding a targeted protein degradation programme with potential applications across multiple therapeutic areas. For Nurix Therapeutics, the partnership brings Roche’s global development and commercial capabilities to support the next stage of clinical development.
The success of the collaboration will ultimately depend on whether ongoing and future clinical trials confirm the efficacy, safety and durability suggested by the early clinical data.
