<div id="readability-page-1"><div id="block-content"> Rigel Pharmaceuticals entered an exclusive global license agreement with Arvinas and Pfizer to commercialize Veppanu (vepdegestrant).The deal marks a significant expansion of Rigel's oncology portfolio with the first FDA-approved Protac, a novel class of cancer therapy that degrades disease-causing proteins rather than simply inhibiting them.Veppanu is a Proteolysis Targeting Chimera, or Protac, a new class of heterobifunctional protein degraders that harness the body's natural cellular machinery to selectively eliminate disease-causing proteins rather than blocking their activity.1 In breast cancer, the target is the estrogen receptor, which drives tumor growth in ER-positive disease and frequently develops mutations, particularly in the ESR1 gene, that confer resistance to standard endocrine therapies.By degrading the mutant receptor entirely rather than inhibiting it, Veppanu is designed to overcome a key resistance mechanism that limits existing treatments.Veppanu was approved by the FDA on May 1, 2026, for adults with ER-positive, HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose disease has progressed after at least one line of endocrine therapy.1An FDA-authorized test is required to confirm ESR1 mutation status before treatment. On May 8, 2026, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network added vepdegestrant as a Category 2A treatment option for this patient population following at least one line of endocrine therapy plus a CDK 4/6 inhibitor.The approval is based on data from Veritac-2, a global, randomized, open-label Phase III trial presented at ASCO 2025 and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.2 Among patients with confirmed ESR1 mutations, vepdegestrant reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 43% compared to fulvestrant, with median progression-free survival of 5.0 months versus 2.1 months, a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement.2 The majority of adverse events were low grade, with the most common including musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, nausea, and laboratory abnormalities.&#34;As many as 50% of patients emerge with an ESR1 mutation following exposure to endocrine therapy, developing resistance to standard treatments,&#34; said Erika Hamilton, M.D., chief development officer at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Veritac-2 principal investigator. &#34;Vepdegestrant provides a much-needed new treatment option for physicians that can fill a critical gap in care for patients with breast cancer.&#34;Rigel is set to pay Arvinas and Pfizer $70 million upfront along with an additional $15 million upon completion of certain development and manufacturing transition activities.1 Rigel is also set to ontribute up to $40 million toward development activities over the next four years. Arvinas and Pfizer are entitled to tiered royalties on commercial sales ranging from mid-teens to mid-twenties percentages, plus up to $320 million in regulatory and commercial milestones.Rigel holds exclusive global rights and the ability to sublicense outside the U.S. The agreement is expected to close in mid-June 2026, subject to antitrust clearance.1Raul Rodriguez, president and CEO of Rigel, said: &#34;With its novel mechanism of action designed to address a key driver of resistance, Veppanu represents a compelling treatment option within this setting. We believe it has the potential to become a meaningful driver of long-term growth for Rigel.&#34;<ol><li>Rigel Enters Exclusive Global Licensing Agreement for VEPPANU™ (vepdegestrant), an oral PROTAC, for the Treatment of 2L+ ER+/HER2-, ESR1m Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Rigel Pharmaceuticals May 12, 2026 </li><li>A Study to Learn About a New Medicine Called Vepdegestrant (ARV-471, PF-07850327) in People Who Have Advanced Metastatic Breast Cancer (VERITAC-2) National Library of Medicine March 18, 2026 </li></ol> </div></div>

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Rigel Pharmaceuticals has entered an exclusive global license agreement with Arvinas and Pfizer to commercialize Veppanu (vepdegestrant), the first FDA-approved Protac for cancer therapy. This agreement expands Rigel's oncology portfolio, targeting ESR1 mutations in ER-positive breast cancer. Rigel will pay $70 million upfront and up to $40 million for development activities, with royalties on sales. Veppanu, approved on May 1, 2026, shows significant efficacy in clinical trials, reducing disease progression risk by 43%. The deal is expected to close in mid-June 2026, pending antitrust clearance.

- Rigel Pharmaceuticals has signed an exclusive global license agreement with Arvinas and Pfizer to commercialize Veppanu, an FDA-approved Protac for advanced breast cancer.  
- This revolutionary therapy targets the estrogen receptor, aiming to degrade mutant receptors that contribute to treatment resistance, and has shown a 43% reduction in disease progression risk in clinical trials.  
- Rigel will pay $70 million upfront and up to $40 million for development activities, while retaining exclusive rights to the drug, which is expected to enhance Rigel's oncology portfolio significantly.

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<![CDATA[Rigel Pharmaceuticals Enters $85 Million Agreement for Exclusive Global Rights to Veppanu]]>