RE:Combo trial ended by Merck
It seems the clinical collaboration started in 2015, nothing was mentioned about the financial aspect of it until 2018, two drug one anti PD-1 another growth enzyme inhibitor both were already approved for treatment of various cancers. Based on the financial update in 2018 Merck must have had high hopes with upfront payment etc.
"Financial Considerations
Gross profits from LENVIMA product sales globally will be shared equally by Eisai and Merck. Expenses incurred during co-development, including for studies evaluating LENVIMA as monotherapy, will be shared equally by the two companies.
Under the agreement, Merck will pay Eisai an upfront payment of $300 million U.S. dollars and up to $650 million U.S. dollars for certain option rights through 2020 (Eisai’s financial year: fiscal year ended March 2021), as well as $450 million U.S. dollars as reimbursement for research and development expenses. In addition, Eisai is eligible to receive up to $385 million U.S. dollars associated with the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones and a maximum of up to $3.97 billion U.S. dollars for the achievement of milestones associated with sales of LENVIMA. Assuming the achievement of all development and commercial goals for all indications, the total amount of upfront, option and regulatory and sales milestone payments has the potential to reach up to $5.76 billion U.S. dollars."
Eisai Co., Ltd. and Merck Enter Global Strategic Oncology Collaboration for LENVIMA® (lenvatinib mesylate) - Merck.com
Eisai and Merck Enter Collaboration to Explore Novel Combination Regimens of Anti-PD-1 Therapy with Multi-targeting RTK Inhibitor and Microtubule Dynamics Inhibitor in Multiple Types of Cancer | Fierce Biotech