Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
A years-long option collaboration that has quietly paid off in a new field: Gilead's 2019 licensing deal for Nurix's DELigase degrader platform has generated $135M in cumulative milestones—including a 2025 IND clearance for oral IRAK4 degrader GS-6791 in inflammatory disease—though the original cancer-focused rationale has given way to inflammation as the lead application.
Gilead strikes $2.48 billion deal with Nurix to focus on protein degradation using DELigase platform for up to five therapeutic programs in cancer.
Gilead elected to extend the 2019 collaboration research term by two years; Nurix received a $15M extension fee and remains eligible for up to…
Q1 FY2026 update: Gilead continues to advance the IRAK4 degrader GS-6791 in an ongoing first-in-human Phase 1 healthy-volunteer study; Nurix retains a 50/50 US…
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In June 2019 Gilead Sciences entered a strategic collaboration licensing Nurix Therapeutics' DELigase targeted protein degradation platform to discover and develop E3-ligase-based degrader therapies across up to five targets in cancer and other diseases. Nurix received a $45 million upfront payment and is eligible for up to ~$2.3 billion in research, preclinical, clinical, regulatory and commercialization milestones, plus a co-develop/co-detail option on up to two US programs. The alliance has matured into the inflammation space: in April 2024 Gilead exercised its option to extend the research term by two years ($15M extension fee), and in April 2025 the FDA cleared the IND for the lead program GS-6791 (formerly NX-0479), an oral IRAK4 degrader for inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and atopic dermatitis; Gilead began a Phase 1 healthy-volunteer study in Q2 2025 and continues to advance it as of Q1 2026. The $5M IND-clearance milestone brought Nurix's cumulative receipts under the 2019 agreement to $135 million, with ~$420M in IRAK4-specific milestones still outstanding. NX-5948 (bexobrutideg), Nurix's BTK degrader, is wholly owned and NOT part of the Gilead collaboration.
$2.0B Targeted Protein Degradation Market (2024)
TPD players: Arvinas (most advanced, vepdegestrant for breast cancer), C4 Therapeutics, Kymera Therapeutics, Nurix. BTK degraders could address the covalent BTK inhibitor resistance problem. The Gilead-Nurix deal gave Gilead access to BTK degradation alongside its Trodelvy and CAR-T programs. Platform licensing deals are common in TPD.
Gilead licensed Nurix targeted protein degradation platform for cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Gilead elected to extend the research term of the 2019 collaboration by two years; Nurix received a $15M extension fee and remains eligible for up to $73.5M preclinical milestones/licensing fees plus up to $1.7B in development, regulatory and sales milestones.
FDA cleared the IND for GS-6791/NX-0479, an oral IRAK4 degrader for inflammatory conditions (RA, atopic dermatitis). Nurix earned a $5M milestone (cumulative $135M under the 2019 agreement) and is eligible for ~$420M in further IRAK4 milestones; Gilead began a Phase 1 healthy-volunteer study in Q2 2025.
Lead Gilead-partnered program GS-6791 (IRAK4 degrader, formerly NX-0479) cleared FDA IND in Apr 2025 and is in an ongoing Phase 1 healthy-volunteer study as of Q1 2026. Collaboration extended 2 years in Apr 2024. NX-5948/bexobrutideg is a wholly-owned Nurix BTK degrader, NOT part of the Gilead deal.
| Deal | Year | Value | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / Nurix Therapeutics Inc. (this deal) | 2019 | $2.3B | 69 |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / Pharmasset Inc. | 2011 | $11.2B | 98 |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 2002 | $464M | 96 |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / CymaBay Therapeutics | 2024 | $4.4B | 76 |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / Immunomedics Inc. | 2020 | $21.0B | 68 |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / Kite Pharma, Inc. | 2017 | $11.9B | 67 |
| Gilead Sciences Inc. / Myogen Inc. | 2006 | $2.5B | 62 |
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