Alexion Pharmaceuticals, the highly successful biotech company headquartered in Cheshire, will pay a Cambridge-based biotech firm $100 million so it can develop and commercialize drugs that come from 10 of the smaller company's gene therapy research programs.

Alexion, which had $910 million in cash on hand at the end of the third quarter, is receiving tens of millions in state subsidies through the First Five Program. The package includes a $6 million grant from the state, a subsidized $20 million loan that will be made into a gift if Alexion has 650 workers in Connecticut by 2017, and tax credits that could be worth as much as $25 million.

In the first year after the deal, the company added more than 50 workers in the state, and said it had more than 400 employees in August. A spokesman did not return calls for comment Monday.

In addition to the $100 million payment to Moderna Therapeutics announced Monday, Alexion bought $25 million in preferred stock in the company. It promised to make more payments if the drug development hits milestones of success and sales and will pay royalties on future sales.

Moderna specializes in personalized medicine. Alexion specializes in drugs for ultra-rare diseases with no effective treatments.

Alexion has a market cap of $25.6 billion.

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Alexion Invests $125 Million in Cambridge Biotech Company

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