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Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced an expansion of their longstanding antibody collaboration, adding multiple next-generation, long-acting antibodies to the Alliance that has jointly established Dupixent (dupilumab) as the world-leading treatment for diseases driven by type 2 inflammation. The agreement builds on the companies' more than 20-year collaboration, through which more than 1.5 million people are currently receiving Dupixent across nine indications, making it one of the most widely used antibody medicines in the world.
“This is a deliberate first step in igniting Sanofi’s innovation engine. Our longstanding Alliance with Regeneron has transformed the treatment landscape for millions of patients living with diseases driven by type 2 inflammation and created one of the world's leading immunology businesses,” said Belén Garijo, chief executive officer of Sanofi. “By deepening our collaboration, we will make rapid progress in creating the next generation of meaningful therapies for patients with immune-mediated diseases, while contributing to Sanofi’s long-term future.”
Under the expanded license and collaboration agreement, the companies will co-develop and co-commercialize four new long-acting, Regeneron-invented antibodies targeting interleukin-13 (IL-13), IL-4xIL-13 bispecific, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ra). IL-13 antibody REGN20423 is currently in a phase 1 clinical study for atopic dermatitis, and the other three antibodies are expected to enter clinical studies in 2027. Regeneron will also have the option to include in the collaboration Sanofi’s lunsekimig, an investigational bispecific Nanobody VHH therapy targeting TSLP and IL-13, exercisable upon completion of its phase 3 studies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“The Regeneron-Sanofi Alliance has been one of the most productive in biopharma history. This agreement builds on that foundation to bring the next generation of immunology medicines to patients even faster,” said Leonard S. Schleifer, MD, PhD, board co-chair, president and chief executive officer of Regeneron. “By expanding our Alliance, we are positioning promising new long-acting antibodies for the kind of rapid, global impact that our shared work on Dupixent has already achieved.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Regeneron will receive an upfront payment of $1 billion from Sanofi, with the potential for development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments of up to an additional $7 billion. The companies will share development and commercialization costs for the new programs and will split future profits from these potential products 50:50 on a global basis. Regeneron will lead research and development activities, and Sanofi will lead global commercial efforts. The existing profit-sharing agreement regarding Dupixent will not change.
“The companies’ clinical and commercial Alliance dates to 2003 and has resulted in multiple approved medicines to date, including Dupixent, which has redefined the standard of care for people with type 2 inflammatory diseases and is now one of the most widely used antibodies for any disease, with over 1.5 million active patients worldwide,” said George D. Yancopoulos, MD, PhD, board co-chair, president and chief scientific officer at Regeneron, and a principal inventor of Dupixent. “By combining Regeneron’s world-class scientific discovery and antibody development expertise with Sanofi’s global capabilities and reach, we hope to once again deliver the next wave of innovation in immunology.”
The companies have settled their prior collaboration-related litigation.
Dupixent, which was invented using Regeneron’s proprietary VelocImmune technology, is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) pathways and is not an immunosuppressant. The Dupixent development program has shown significant clinical benefit and a decrease in type 2 inflammation in phase 3 studies, establishing that IL-4 and IL-13 are two of the key and central drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in multiple related and often co-morbid diseases.
Dupixent has received regulatory approvals in more than 60 countries in one or more indications including certain patients with atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, eosinophilic esophagitis, prurigo nodularis, chronic spontaneous urticaria, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bullous pemphigoid, and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis in different age populations. In addition to the currently approved indications, Sanofi and Regeneron are studying dupilumab in a broad range of diseases driven by type 2 inflammation or other allergic processes in phase 3 studies, including chronic pruritus of unknown origin. These potential uses of dupilumab are currently under clinical investigation, and the safety and efficacy in these conditions have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.
Regeneron is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and?product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories.
Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. The company apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more.
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