Novartis said Monday it will acquire Myricx Bio, a UK biotech developing a new class of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) payloads, in a deal worth up to $1.5 billion that is expected to close later this year.The acquisition adds Myricx's N-myristoyltransferase inhibitor (NMTi) payload platform to Novartis' oncology portfolio, alongside two lead ADC candidates targeting B7-H3 and HER2 for the treatment of solid tumours.NMTi payloads are designed to inhibit NMT — an enzyme essential for protein function that supports cancer cell growth and survival — thereby disrupting key processes the malignant cells rely on. Preclinical data has demonstrated the payload's promising activity in solid tumours, including TOPO-1-resistant models."There remains a clear need for new payload mechanisms to overcome resistance and expand their impact for patients,” said Fiona Marshall, president of biomedical research at Novartis, adding that Myricx's platform offers a "differentiated mechanism that could broaden the use of ADCs across multiple tumour settings."Under the agreed terms, Novartis will pay $1.1 billion upfront, with Myricx eligible for an additional $400 million in milestone payments.Launched in 2020 as a spin-out from Imperial College London and the Francis Crick Institute, Myricx snagged a £90-million ($114 million) series A in 2024, backed by Novo Holdings, Eli Lilly and Sofinnova Partners among others. The firm appointed Mohit Rawat as chief executive last September.Meanwhile, the latest buyout marks Novartis' second major oncology-focused deal in a short span following a $1.9-billion collaboration last month with Antares Therapeutics to develop small-molecule therapies against undruggable targets.