Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has expanded its haematology franchise via separate global licensing agreements for two preclinical kinase inhibitor programmes. The first contract is with Biogen Idec and is for global commercial rights to SNS-062, a potent and selective non-covalently binding oral inhibitor of BTK (Bruton's tyrosine kinase). BTK is a mediator of B-cell receptor indicating integral to the pathogenesis of B-cell malignancies.

The second contract is with Millennium, The Takeda Oncology Company, for global commercial rights to several potential first-in class, pre-clinical inhibitors of the novel target PDK1 (phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1). PDK1 is a key kinase and mediator of PI3K/AKT indicating, a pathway involved in cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, motility and survival.