Roche and Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. announced a definitive global licensing and collaboration agreement to co-develop and co-commercialize bexobrutideg (NX-5948), an investigational, orally bioavailable Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) degrader. The transaction, valued at up to $2.3 billion, positions the therapy for rapid late-stage clinical expansion across malignant hematology, immunology, and neurology.
Unlike conventional BTK inhibitors that merely block kinase activity, bexobrutideg leverages the body’s natural protein disposal system to eliminate the BTK protein entirely. This unique mechanism removes both the kinase and scaffolding functions of the protein, allowing it to overcome the drug-resistance mutations that frequently limit standard-of-care treatments.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nurix will receive an upfront cash payment of $700 million and is eligible to receive up to $1.6 billion in additional milestone payments. For the U.S. market, Roche and Nurix will share development costs (60% Roche / 40% Nurix) and split commercial profits and losses equally. Roche will hold exclusive commercialization rights outside the United States, with Nurix receiving tiered royalties ranging from the low- to high-teens.
“We believe bexobrutideg represents a major leap forward in the fight against complex blood cancers and other serious diseases,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. “By partnering with Nurix, we aim to leverage our deep hematologyfranchise and global infrastructure to accelerate this promising targeted protein degradation therapy to patients who have exhausted existing options.”
Arthur T. Sands, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Nurix, added, “Partnering with Roche, a world leader in B-cell malignancies, positions Nurix to fully realize the vast potential of bexobrutideg. This alliance allows us to rapidly expand our Phase 3 program and explores powerful new combination regimens in oncology, while also exploring the drug’s potential as a brain-penetrant oral therapy for devastating autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis.”
Bexobrutideg has demonstrated robust, durable clinical responses and a highly favorable safety profile in Phase 1 trials of patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies, including those with central nervous system (CNS) involvement and acquired resistance to current BTK inhibitors.
The companies plan to initiate a global Phase 3 confirmatory trial evaluating bexobrutideg in second-line chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in Summer 2026.
Written by: Pragna Biswas
Graphics by: Pramit Hazra
