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29 January 2018Big Pharma

Sanofi to acquire Ablynx for €3.9bn

Biopharmaceutical company Sanofi has revealed plans to acquire biotech firm Ablynx for approximately €3.9 billion ($4.8 billion).

The companies announced the news today, January 29.

The acquisition comes less than a week after Paris-based Sanofi said that it plans to acquire US biotech company Bioverativ for $11.6 billion, LSIPR reported.

Ablynx uses nanobody technology to develop therapeutic treatments for haematology, inflammation, and respiratory diseases. The Belgian biotech company is currently developing an experimental blood disorder drug called caplacizumab, used to treat bleeding disorder .

Caplacizumab has already been filed in the EU and is expected to be filed in the US in the first half of 2018. If it gets approval it will be the “first-in-class treatment for this acute, life-threatening disease”, according to the release.

Ablynx first partnered with Sanofi in July 2017, in a deal to identify new treatments for inflammatory diseases.

Olivier Brandicourt, CEO of Sanofi, said the addition of Ablynx will enhance Sanofi’s research and development in rare blood disorders.

Edwin Moses, CEO of Ablynx, said that since its founding in 2001 Ablynx has “focused on unlocking the power” of its nanobody technology for patients.

He added that Sanofi's “global infrastructure, commitment to innovation and commercial capabilities” will accelerate the company’s ability to deliver its pipeline.

Sanofi is not the only life sciences company involved in mergers and acquisitions activity this month.

Last week, Celgene its $9 billion acquisition of Juno Therapeutics to strengthen its haematology research capabilities.

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More on this story

Americas
2 February 2018   Seattle Genetics has announced that it will acquire biotech company Cascadian Therapeutics for approximately $614 million.
Europe
19 April 2018   France-based Sanofi has confirmed it is in negotiations to sell its European generics business Zentiva for €1.9 billion ($2.4 billion) to private equity firm Advent International.
Americas
5 December 2018   US-based Allele Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has teamed up with a scientific e-commerce marketplace network in efforts to develop nanoantibodies for therapeutic applications.