Roche and PTC Therapeutics: Top 10 deals of 2009

Who: Roche
With: PTC Therapeutics
What: $2 billion discovery deal

Summary: The Roche/PTC deal has the distinction of being the biggest development deal of 2009. In a deal worth $12 million up front, PTC agreed to use its Gene Expression Modulation by Small-molecules (GEMS) technology platform to help Roche find four new drugs for CNS diseases. The deal includes an option on four more programs and up to $239 million for each in milestone payments. The Roche pact was the largest of a string of deals PTC has made for its GEMS technology. The company also has a $1.2 billion agreements with Pfizer, a $345 million pact with CV Therapeutics and a $212 million partnership with Schering-Plough.