Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

Bayer AG / Arvinas, Inc.

2019 · Licensing/Option · $1.0B · Terminated

Bayer's $1B-plus PROTAC collaboration handed Arvinas equity funding and platform validation across cardiovascular, oncology, and gynecological targets, but Bayer walked away in August 2024, terminating the human-disease pact and stripping Arvinas of that partner and its collaboration revenue.

CALLED IT — OFF BY 24
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The coverage arc

Jun 04, 2019 Arvinas IR Bullish

Bayer and Arvinas to collaborate on human PROTAC therapies for cardiovascular, oncological, and gynecological diseases, with >$110M upfront/committed and…

Jun 04, 2019 PR Newswire Bullish

Bayer and Arvinas to develop novel PROTAC candidates for humans and plants in deal worth over $1 billion with JV Oerth Bio

Oct 30, 2024 Arvinas (GlobeNewswire) Bearish

A decrease in revenue from Bayer of $1.1 million related to the termination of the Bayer Collaboration Agreement in August 2024.

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In June 2019, Bayer and Arvinas formed a collaboration to apply Arvinas' PROTAC targeted protein degradation platform to human therapeutics across cardiovascular, oncology, and gynecological disease targets, alongside a separate agricultural PROTAC joint venture (later named Oerth Bio). Per the companies' announcement, Arvinas received an upfront payment plus a direct Bayer equity investment, with total upfront/committed funding across the human collaboration, the equity stake, and the agricultural JV exceeding $110M, and was eligible for more than $685M in development milestones plus royalties. Bayer terminated the human collaboration agreement in August 2024; Arvinas recognized the loss of the associated collaboration revenue and Bayer no longer appears among its named partners.

Key facts

Disease & market context

Cardiovascular Disease (PROTAC)

$60.0B Global CV Therapeutics (2024)

Disease Overview

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) encompasses a spectrum of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke and TIA), heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, and valvular and rhythm disorders. It is the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for roughly 1 in every 5 deaths, and globally accounts for approximately 17-19 million deaths per year per WHO. Major modifiable risk factors include hypertension (affecting ~122M U.S. adults), hyperlipidemia, diabetes, tobacco use, obesity, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet; non-modifiable factors include age, sex, family history, and genetics. Atherosclerosis underlies most ischemic CVD, with plaque rupture driving acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Evaluation uses ASCVD risk estimation, lipid panels, blood pressure and glucose assessment, and targeted imaging (echocardiography, coronary CTA/angiography, carotid duplex). Evidence-based management combines lifestyle modification with pharmacotherapy (statins, antihypertensives, antiplatelets, SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs in selected patients, guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure) and procedural interventions (PCI, CABG, device therapy). Secondary prevention reduces recurrent events substantially.

PROTAC Technology

PROTACs (proteolysis-targeting chimeras) degrade target proteins via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway rather than inhibiting them. This enables targeting of undruggable proteins. Arvinas also has oncology PROTACs (vepdegestrant, ARV-766). The CV application is early-stage with targets undisclosed.

Deal timeline

Related deals — scored

DealYearValueOutcome
Bayer AG / Arvinas, Inc. (this deal)2019$1.0B59
Bayer AG / Schering AG2006$21.5B79
Bayer AG / BlueRock Therapeutics2002$600M79
Bayer AG / Merck & Co., Inc.2014$14.2B71
Bayer AG / Schering AG (residual squeeze-out)2007$985M69
Bayer AG / Merck & Co. Inc.2014$14.2B56
Bayer AG / Asklepios BioPharmaceuticals2020$2.0B49

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