Tesaro Inc., a Boston cancer drug start-up, said late Tuesday that it signed an exclusive licensing deal with Amgen Inc. to develop some of the Thousand Oaks biotech giant’s technology into a potential lung cancer drug.

Tesaro, which formed last year by former executives of a biotech called MGI Pharma Inc. that was acquired in 2008, will make an undisclosed upfront payment to Amgen as well as potential milestone payments and royalties. It will handle the development, manufacturing, commercialization and distribution of any treatments.

“ALK inhibition shows great promise for a specific and identifiable population of patients,” Tesaro Chief Executive Mary Lynne Hedley said in a statement.

Amgen has not commented on the deal.

Amgen shares closed down 9 cents, or less than a percent, to $52.69 the Nasdaq.