Sanofi makes gene therapy move
pharmafile | February 13, 2015 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Genzyme, Sanofi, Voyager Therapeutics, gene therapy, merger
Sanofi has signalled its intent to develop gene therapy treatments for nerve diseases through a $745 million deal with US biotech Voyager Therapeutics.
The move sees the French giant’s biotech arm Genzyme enter into a “major strategic collaboration to discover, develop and commercialise novel gene therapies for severe central nervous system disorders”.
The alliance will look to drive forward several gene therapy programmes, including research into treatments for Parkinson’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, Huntington’s disease, and other central nervous system disorders.
The collaboration makes sense from both companies point of view. For example, Genzyme already operates in the field of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy and Voyager has a product engine to develop AAV therapies.
The deal will cost Genzyme $100 million to Voyager initially, who will also be eligible to receive future payments of up to $745 million, as well as further royalties on product sales.
The development will be sliced up between the two companies. Genzyme will have the option to license several programmes that are in initial proof-of-concept human clinical trials. Voyager will retain all US rights to its products in Parkinson’s disease and Friedreich’s ataxia.
The two companies will also share US profits for a Huntington’s disease programme. However Voyager’s amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) programme is not part of the deal.
Voyager is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and led by president and chief executive Steven Paul, a former head of R&D at Eli Lilly. Paul says the deal will provide ‘significant funding’ to “drive the development of our expanded product pipeline, while also allowing Voyager to continue to thrive as an independent company”.
David Meeker, president and chief executive of Genzyme, says: “We’ve been working in gene therapy for more than 20 years, and our commitment remains strong because we believe in its promise to transform the lives of patients with debilitating diseases.
“The field of gene therapy has advanced rapidly in the past several years, and the science has never been better. Joining together with a great partner in Voyager allows us to strengthen and accelerate our efforts to address a set of very challenging neurological diseases.”
Lilian Anekwe
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