Under terms of the deal, the firms will use Artiva's allogenic NK cell manufacturing platform and CAR-NK technology to develop two CAR-NK therapies with an option for a third, which Merck will then clinically develop and market. Artiva will receive an upfront payment of $30 million for first two therapies, $15 million if Merck requests a third, and up to $612 million in future development and commercial milestones and royalties on product sales, the two companies said.

Artiva's current CAR-NK offerings include AB-201 for the treatment of HER2+ solid tumors and AB-202 for the treatment of B-cell malignancies, it said.

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