Date: 2015-11-03
Type of information: R&D agreement
Compound: up to five cancer immunotherapies, each consisting of a mixture of synthetic messenger RNAs (mRNAs).
Company: Sanofi (France) BioNTech (Germany)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: R&D licensing
Action mechanism: immunotherapy product/messenger RNA (mRNA).
Disease:
Details: * On November 3, 2015, Sanofi and BioNTech announced that they have entered into a multiyear exclusive collaboration and license agreement. This research collaboration between Sanofi and BioNTech will leverage the scientific expertise of the two organizations to discover and develop up to five cancer immunotherapies, each consisting of a mixture of synthetic messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Complementing Sanofi’s global oncology footprint and scientific expertise, BioNTech will combine the use of its proprietary mRNA technology platform with its extensive capabilities in developing immune-stimulating pharmaceuticals. As part of this effort, BioNTech will utilize its mRNA formulation technology, which enables targeted mRNA delivery in vivo, to generate novel cancer immunotherapies. BioNTech will also supply part of the mRNA material needed for development activities from its in-house GMP manufacturing unit.
Financial terms: Sanofi and BioNTech have agreed to $60 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments, payable to BioNTech under the terms of the agreement. Further, BioNTech could receive over $300 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestones and other payments per product. If commercialized successfully, BioNTech would also be eligible for tiered royalties on net sales up to double digits. In addition, BioNTech has the option to co-develop and co-commercialize two of the five mRNA therapeutics products with Sanofi in the European Union and the United States.
Latest news:
