Sanofi and MD Anderson announce strategic collaboration to accelerate oncology research and development

Rhea-AI Summary

Sanofi and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced a five-year strategic collaboration on July 14, 2020, aimed at accelerating the development of cancer treatments. This alliance merges MD Anderson's clinical trial capabilities with Sanofi's investigational drug pipeline, focusing on biomarker-driven studies. The collaboration seeks to optimize patient selection and identify effective therapy combinations, thereby enhancing treatment outcomes for challenging cancers. Initial projects are expected to commence in summer 2020.

Positive

• Strategic collaboration with MD Anderson to enhance cancer treatment development.
• Combines resources to accelerate identification of effective therapies.
• Leverages MD Anderson's extensive research infrastructure.

Negative

• None.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and HOUSTON, July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced a five-year strategic collaboration to accelerate the development of investigational treatments, including targeted and immune-therapies, for patients with cancer. The alliance will combine MD Anderson's clinical trials infrastructure and Sanofi's pipeline of investigational treatments to lead biomarker-driven clinical studies to better understand how novel cancer drugs work.

"Our goal is to improve the outcome for patients with a range of difficult-to-treat cancers, which is best achieved through a deep understanding of how investigational new drugs work," said Peter Adamson, M.D., Global Development Head, Oncology and Pediatric Innovation at Sanofi. "This alliance leverages MD Anderson's agile approach to early phase clinical trials, their laboratory capabilities and broad scientific expertise. This will get us to go/no-go decisions much faster and help us identify potential new combinations and indications more accurately. That will save precious time and help us expand the spectrum of patients who could potentially benefit from our therapies."

MD Anderson manages one of the country's largest oncology clinical trial programs, with well-established platforms for tissue collection, molecular and immune profiling, and data analysis. This infrastructure enables the comprehensive study of tumor samples taken before, during and after treatment to uncover valuable insights that help streamline patient selection and hasten the identification of new therapy combinations and indications.

"Not only do clinical trials help us to advance life-saving new treatments for our patients in need, they provide us with valuable information to understand which therapies may be more effective for which patients," said Funda Meric-Bernstam, M.D., chair of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics. "We are pleased to collaborate with Sanofi in this effort to accelerate the development of a pipeline of innovative cancer therapies."

The new alliance also will support investigations into additional indications and combinations for studies already in the clinic. Sanofi and MD Anderson scientists will collaborate on experimental design, applying a core set of biomarkers and assays. Joint projects also will apply novel investigational agents developed at Sanofi to existing tumor samples to obtain further data on their effects at different disease stages.

"MD Anderson's expertise in deep immune phenotyping and molecular profiling will provide invaluable insights into our emerging immunotherapy assets, helping us refine our selection of indications and explore new avenues," said Dmitri Wiederschain, Ph.D., Global Head of Immuno-Oncology Research at Sanofi. "The knowledge we gain in this collaboration will also deepen our shared understanding of cancers' potential vulnerabilities."

New findings, as well as large-scale molecular and phenotype datasets, will be applied to the design of new translational studies on selected Sanofi molecules, and guide the selection of indications. The collaboration is expected to launch its first projects in summer 2020.

About MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution's sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 51 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is ranked No.1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" survey. It has ranked as one of the nation's top two hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has ranked first 15 times in the last 18 years. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).

About Sanofi

Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.

With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.

Sanofi, Empowering Life

Sanofi Media Relations Contact Sally Bain Tel.: +1 (781) 264-1091 mr@sanofi.com

MD Anderson Media Relations Contact Clayton R. Boldt, Ph.D. Tel.: +1 (713) 792-9518 crboldt@mdanderson.org

Sanofi Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the fact that product candidates if approved may not be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Sanofi's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, to complete related transactions and/or obtain regulatory clearances, risks associated with intellectual property and any related pending or future litigation and the ultimate outcome of such litigation,  trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, volatile economic and market conditions,  cost containment initiatives and subsequent changes thereto, and  the impact that COVID-19 will have on us, our customers, suppliers, vendors, and other business partners, and the financial condition of any one of them, as well as on our employees and on the global economy as a whole.  Any material effect of COVID-19 on any of the foregoing could also adversely impact us. This situation is changing rapidly and additional impacts may arise of which we are not currently aware and may exacerbate other previously identified risks. The risks and uncertainties also include the uncertainties discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Source: Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN) (NASDAQ: SNY)

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SOURCE Sanofi

FAQ

What is the focus of the Sanofi and MD Anderson collaboration?

The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of investigational cancer treatments, including targeted and immune therapies.

When was the Sanofi and MD Anderson partnership announced?

The partnership was announced on July 14, 2020.

What are the expected outcomes of the Sanofi and MD Anderson alliance?

The collaboration aims to improve treatment outcomes for difficult-to-treat cancers by streamlining patient selection and identifying effective therapy combinations.

What is the role of MD Anderson in the collaboration with Sanofi?

MD Anderson will provide its clinical trials infrastructure and expertise in biomarker-driven studies to support the development of new cancer treatments.

What is the ticker symbol for Sanofi?

The ticker symbol for Sanofi is SNY.