Sanofi collaborates with Biomunex to develop antibody therapeutics

Multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi has entered into a licensing agreement with Paris-based biopharmaceutical company Biomunex.

Under the terms of the agreement, which was announced by Biomunex today, January 15, Sanofi will have access to Biomunex’s BiXAb technology to generate and optimise antibody therapeutics.

According to the press release, Sanofi will be responsible for research, development, manufacturing and global commercialisation activities.

The agreement is the first of its kind for Biomunex, which says it aims to establish licensing and collaboration agreements and to become a clinical-stage company in the short term.

Biomunex will receive an initial upfront payment, which has not been disclosed, and will be eligible to receive further clinical, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Further financial details were not disclosed.

Pierre-Emmanuel Gerard, founder and CEO of Biomunex, said: “This licensing agreement is a major milestone for Biomunex. It demonstrates the high value of the BiXAb technology and is the starting point for our collaboration strategy with pharmaceutical companies to discover and develop bi- and multi-specific antibodies, giving patients new treatment options.”

Gerard said the proceeds from the agreement will help accelerate the clinical development of antibody programmes in immune-oncology.

In June 2018, Sanofi entered into a $50 million licensing agreement with biotechnology company  Revolution Medicines to develop treatments for multiple cancers.

Under the partnership, the companies agreed to develop and commercialise cancer therapies involving SHP2 inhibitors, which “are designed to reduce cell growth signalling that is overactive in cancer”.

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