Sanofi will acquire Kymab, adding KY1005 to its pipeline, a human monoclonal antibody aimed at the key regulator of the OX40L immune system
* Continues to build on Sanofi’s leading presence in immunology aligned with strategy to pursue best-in-class treatments in defined areas
PARIS and CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom – January 11, 2021 – Sanofi and Kymab, a biopharmaceutical company in clinical phase that develops fully human monoclonal antibodies with a focus on immunity-mediated diseases and immuno-oncological therapies, have signed an agreement under which Sanofi will acquire Kymab for an initial payment of approximately $ 1.1 billion to $ 350 million when certain milestones are reached.
The transaction will give Sanofi global rights over KY1005, a fully human monoclonal antibody that has a new mechanism of action. KY1005 binds to OX40-Ligand and has the potential to treat a wide variety of immunity-mediated diseases and inflammatory disorders.
“The acquisition of Kymab adds KY1005 to our dynamic pipeline, a potential first-class treatment for a number of immune and inflammatory diseases. The new mechanism of action can provide treatment for patients with suboptimal responses to available therapies. ” Said Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi. “We understand from our ongoing work on debilitating immune diseases how essential it is to find the right treatment for each patient. We hope to develop this research medicine quickly. ”
“He the agreement is a testament to the commitment, drive and experience of the entire Kymab team and we are satisfied receive that downstream of Sanofi ” added Simon Sturge, CEO of Kymab. “With her significant global resources, wand I think Sadost is the perfect partner to advance the Kymab product line and the merger will speed up time it is neededs per our new therapies a reach patients “.
KY1005: Promising antibody for inflammatory disorders
In August 2020, Kymab announced that KY1005 met the two primary criteria in a phase 2a trial that studied patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis whose disease was not adequately controlled with topical corticosteroids. KY1005 demonstrated a consistent treatment effect versus placebo on several final criteria, including the aczema and severity index (EASI) and additional objective clinical measures.
“This acquisition is in line with our strategy of targeting fundamentally important disease pathways. We believe that OX40L, a key immune regulator, has the potential to rebalance the immune system without suppressing it, providing a promising new approach to treating a number of immunity-mediated diseases. ” said John Reed, MD Ph.D., global head of Research and Development at Sanofi.
The Kymab gas pipeline also includes the oncological active KY1044, an ICOS monoclonal antibody agonist, currently in the initial stage of development 1/2 as monotherapy and in combination with an anti-PD-L1. The acquisition also provides Sanofi with access to new antibody technologies and research capabilities.
Transaction conditions
Under the terms of the transaction, Sanofi will acquire Kymab for an initial payment of approximately $ 1.1 billion and up to $ 350 million after reaching certain milestones.
Sanofi plans to finance the transaction with cash. The closing of the transaction is subject to the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976 and other usual closing conditions. Sanofi expects to complete the acquisition in the first half of 2021.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acts as Sanofi’s legal advisor. JP Morgan acts as financial advisor to Kymab and Goodwin PLC as legal counsel.
About Kymab
Kymab is a clinical biopharmaceutical company that develops fully human monoclonal antibody therapeutic products with a focus on immunity-mediated diseases and immuno-oncology through its proprietary integrated platforms collectively called IntelliSelect®. Kymab’s IntelliSelect GMO platforms contain a full diversity of human antibodies, making them the most complete antibody platforms available.
The selection of a wide variety of fully human antibodies guarantees the maximum probability of finding drug candidates with the best characteristics of their class quickly and efficiently.
For more information on Kymab, see http://www.kymab.com. Kymab and IntelliSelect are trademarks of Kymab Limited.
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As for Sanofi Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent disease with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to combat pain and relieve suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic diseases. With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions worldwide. Sanofi, Empowering Life |
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| Contacts of relations with the Sanofi media Ashleigh Koss Phone: +1 (908) 205 2572 [email protected] Quentin Alive Kymab Brandon Lewis |
Sanofi Investor Relations Contacts Paris Eva Schaefer-Jansen Arnaud Delepine Yvonne Naughton Sanofi Investor Relations Contacts North America IR main line: Kymab Media UK Mary-Jane Elliott / Sukaina Virji / Melissa Gardiner Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700 |
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