On July 30, 2026 Keros Therapeutics, Inc. ("Keros") (Nasdaq: KROS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to treat a wide range of patients with disorders that are linked to dysfunctional signaling of the transforming growth factor-beta ("TGF-ß") family of proteins, reported that it will receive a $20 million development milestone payment under the terms of the license agreement of elritercept with partner Takeda, following the dosing of the first patient in the ELRiSE MDS clinical trial. ELRiSE MDS is a Phase 3, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial to compare the efficacy and safety of elritercept versus epoetin alfa for the treatment of anemia due to very low, low, or intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndromes ("MDS").
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"We are delighted by the continued progress of the elritercept program," said Jasbir S. Seehra, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Keros. "We are encouraged by the positive signals that were observed in the Phase 2 clinical trial of elritercept in patients with very low-, low-, or intermediate-risk MDS, which were observed in patients with MDS both with and without ring sideroblasts."
Under the terms of the global license agreement with Takeda to further develop, manufacture and commercialize elritercept worldwide outside of mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, which became effective on January 16, 2025, Keros received a $200 million upfront cash payment in February 2025, and is eligible to receive development, commercial and sales milestones with the potential to exceed $1.1 billion. Keros will also be eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales.
Keros expects to distribute 25% of the net cash proceeds from this milestone payment to its stockholders following receipt of the payment.
About Elritercept
Elritercept is an engineered ligand trap comprised of a modified ligand-binding domain of the TGF-ß receptor known as activin receptor type IIA that is fused to the portion of the human antibody known as the Fc domain. Elritercept is being developed for the treatment of low blood cell counts, or cytopenias, including anemia and thrombocytopenia, in patients with MDS and in patients with myelofibrosis.
(Press release, Keros Therapeutics, JUL 30, 2026, View Source [SID1234669537])