Date: 2018-01-08
Type of information: Collaboration agreement
Compound: bispecific antibodies and monoclonal antibodies including REGN3500, dupilumab and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor cemiplimab
Company: Sanofi (France) Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (USA - NY)
Therapeutic area: Allergic diseases - Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: collaboration - development - commercialisation
Action mechanism: monoclonal antibody/bispecific antibody/immune checkpoint inhibitor
Disease:
Details:
- • On July 28, 2015, Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals have entered into a new global collaboration to discover, develop and commercialize new antibody cancer treatments in the emerging field of immuno-oncology. As part of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor currently in Phase 1 testing, and plan to initiate clinical trials in 2016 with new therapeutic candidates based on ongoing, innovative preclinical programs. The new agreement covers both monoclonal antibodies and new bi-specific antibodies, a variation of standard antibody therapeutics, in which two distinct targets within the body can be bound by the same molecule, usually the cancer cell and an immune cell. Regeneron has developed a novel and flexible manufacturing platform that enables efficient production of bi-specific antibodies that are otherwise similar to natural antibodies. Beyond PD-1, other targets in preclinical development include antibodies to lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3) and glucocorticoid-induced tumor-necrosis-factor-receptor-related protein (GITR) and a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor. Finally, the collaboration is advancing bi-specific antibodies that target hematologic and solid cancers, either as mono therapies or in combination regimens with other immune modulating treatments.
- Regeneron will be responsible for discovery, antibody generation and development through POC, at which time Sanofi will have the ability to opt-in to further development and commercialization. In the existing antibody collaboration, Sanofi has the opportunity to opt-in at the time of an Investigational New Drug application (IND). The companies will alternate serving as the lead development and commercialization organization after Sanofi opts-in to an antibody program.
- For programs where Regeneron is the lead, including REGN2810, Regeneron will serve as the U.S. commercial lead, including recording U.S. sales and the companies will equally fund post-POC development Sanofi will record sales and serve as the commercial lead for all countries outside the U.S. Sanofi will retain the right to co-promote in the U.S. and Regeneron will retain the right to co-promote outside the U.S.
For programs where Sanofi is the lead, Sanofi will serve as the U.S. commercial lead and fund 100 percent of post-POC development, with Regeneron reimbursing up to 50% percent of such costs through the IO collaboration development balance, which represents the amount of development funding that Regeneron is obligated to repay out of its share of profits as described below. Sanofi will record sales and serve as the commercial lead for all countries outside the U.S. Regeneron will retain the right to co-promote in the U.S. and outside the U.S.
- Sanofi and Regeneron will share equally in worldwide profits from sale of collaboration immuno-oncology antibodies.
As in the existing antibody agreement, Regeneron will repay the immuno-oncology collaboration development balance from its share of overall profits of the immuno-oncology antibodies, in an annual amount equal to 10 percent of the Regeneron share of profits.
- The exclusive collaboration to discover and develop potential monotherapy or novel combination immuno-oncology antibody candidates through POC will last five years with an ability to extend the collaboration for selected ongoing programs for an additional three years. The agreement does not include Chimeric Antigen Receptors. Additional terms, including potential therapeutic targets or mechanisms, were not disclosed.
Financial terms:
- Sanofi will make an upfront payment to Regeneron of $640 million and the companies will invest $1 billion for discovery through proof of concept (POC) development (usually a Phase 2a study) of monotherapy and novel combinations of immuno-oncology antibody candidates to be funded 25 percent by Regeneron ($250 million) and 75 percent by Sanofi ($750 million). The companies have also committed to equally fund an additional $650 million (or $325 million per company) for development of REGN2810, a PD-1 inhibitor. In addition, Sanofi will pay to Regeneron a one-time milestone of $375 million in the event that sales of a PD-1 product and any other collaboration antibody sold for use in combination with a PD-1 product exceed, in the aggregate, $2 billion in any consecutive 12-month period. Finally, the two companies have agreed to re-allocate $75 million (over three years) for immuno-oncology antibodies from Sanofi's $160 million annual contribution to their existing antibody collaboration, which otherwise continues as announced in November 2009. Beyond the committed funding, additional funding will be allocated as programs enter post-POC development.
Latest news:
- • On January 8, 2018, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi announced that they will accelerate and expand investment for the clinical development of the PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) antibody cemiplimab in oncology, and the IL-4/IL-13 pathway-blocking antibody dupilumab in Type 2 allergic diseases. This strategic investment will enable the companies to evaluate cemiplimab and dupilumab in broader clinical development programs.
- Under the terms of the expansion, the investment in cemiplimab will be increased to a minimum of $1.64 billion, an increase of approximately $1 billion over the initial 2015 agreement, and Sanofi and Regeneron will continue to equally fund cemiplimab development. The companies will also continue their investment in other immuno-oncology programs under their existing Immuno-oncology Discovery Agreement.
- Cemiplimab is being studied as monotherapy and in combination with other therapies in a wide range of cancers including advanced skin cancers, non-small cell lung cancer, cervical cancer and lymphomas, with more studies in other indications planned to begin in 2018. The companies expect to submit U.S. and EU regulatory applications for cemiplimab in advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in the first quarter of 2018.
- The additional investment in the dupilumab development program will help accelerate planned new studies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peanut allergy and grass allergy, as well as in patients who have multiple allergic conditions. These areas are in addition to ongoing dupilumab clinical development in pediatric atopic dermatitis, pediatric asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis and nasal polyposis.
- The additional investment will also accelerate and expand development of REGN3500, an IL-33 antibody, with studies expected to be conducted in atopic dermatitis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The increased funding for dupilumab and REGN3500 will be pursuant to the existing Antibody License and Collaboration Agreement between the companies.
- Regeneron has agreed to grant a limited waiver of the "lock-up" in the Amended and Restated Investor Agreement between the companies, so that Sanofi may sell a small percentage of the Regeneron common stock it owns to fund a portion of the cemiplimab and dupilumab development expansion. This waiver will allow Sanofi to sell in private transactions to Regeneron up to an aggregate of 1.4 million shares of Regeneron common stock through the end of 2020, representing approximately 6 percent of the 23.9 million shares of Regeneron common stock Sanofi currently owns. As of October 20, 2017, there were 107.4 million shares of Regeneron capital stock outstanding. If Regeneron decides not to purchase the shares, Sanofi will be allowed to sell those shares on the open market, subject to certain volume and timing limitations.
Is general: Yes
