Roche is expanding beyond licensing by partnering with Chinese startup Defand Therapeutics to discover new molecular glue medicines. The collaboration is focused on generating multiple cancer and immune-driven candidates, with financial terms not disclosed publicly, according to a source familiar with the agreement. The deal signals a shift in how large pharma is approaching China: rather than acquiring late-stage compounds, Roche is funding early discovery aimed at building a pipeline directly from Defand’s platform. For investors and developers, the structure underscores how molecular glue programs are moving from concept to scaled discovery, using shared preclinical and milestone-driven execution rather than one-off licensing.