Jump starting its presence in protein degradation therapies, Novartis has entered into a strategic research collaboration with Dunad Therapeutics to develop oral covalent and protein degrading small molecule drugs for up to four undisclosed targets. The deal, which is worth up to US$1.324 B, will combine Novartis’ target and ligand expertise with Dunad’s unique protein degradation platform. The deal comes just three weeks after Novartis’ presence within this therapeutic field ran aground, after the termination of its Phase I clinical trial for the selective oestrogen receptor degrader, LSZ102.