Sanofi Pasteur collaborates on novel biologics
pharmafile | January 12, 2010 | News story | Research and Development |Â Â KaloBios, Sanofi, Sanofi Pasteur, cystic fibrosis, infection, vaccinesÂ
Sanofi Aventis’ vaccines division has partnered with US biotech KaloBios to develop a number of novel biologic treatments.
Sanofi Pasteur will collaborate with the biotech company on the development of its Humaneered antibody fragment, which is being trialed for pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections.
Most serious PA infections occur in hospitalised and critically or chronically ill patients – primarily affecting the respiratory system in susceptible individuals, and are a serious clinical problem due to their resistance to antibiotics.
“KaloBios has shown convincing safety data in phase I studies and a trend toward efficacy in a phase II study of ventilator-associated pneumonia,” Wayne Pisano, chief executive of Sanofi Pasteur, said.
“Hospital-acquired PA infections are associated with very high levels of morbidity, mortality and costs and treating them represents a significant, unmet medical need. Despite modern antibiotic therapy, treatment failures, relapses and deaths are common.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi Pasteur acquires worldwide rights to KaloBios’ technology for all disease indications related to PA infections except cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, which Sanofi Pasteur has the option to obtain at a later date.
KaloBios has already completed phase I clinical trials – one in healthy volunteers and one in cystic fibrosis patients – and a small proof of concept phase II clinical trial in mechanically ventilated patients.
This is the third announcement from Sanofi Pasteur in the past month on product development for nosocomial infections.
On 15 December the company announced that its phase II vaccine trial to prevent Clostridium difficile – one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired infection in Europe and the States – has expanded into the US from the UK.
One day later the vaccine manufacturer announced an agreement with Syntiron for the development, manufacture, and commercialisation of a vaccine to prevent Staphylococcus infections.
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