Sanofi and BioNTech A.G., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immunotherapies, have formed a multiyear exclusive collaboration and license agreement to discover and develop up to five cancer immunotherapies, each consisting of a mixture of synthetic messenger RNAs (mRNAs).

Sanofi and BioNTech have agreed to $60 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments, payable to BioNTech under the terms of the agreement. Further, BioNTech could receive over $300 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestones and other payments per product. If commercialized successfully, BioNTech would also be eligible for tiered royalties on net sales up to double digits. In addition, BioNTech has the option to co-develop and co-commercialize two of the five mRNA therapeutics products with Sanofi in the European Union and the United States.

BioNTech will combine the use of its proprietary mRNA technology platform with its capabilities in developing immune-stimulating pharmaceuticals. As part of this effort, BioNTech will use its mRNA formulation technology, which enables targeted mRNA delivery in vivo, to generate cancer immunotherapies. BioNTech will also supply part of the mRNA material needed for development activities from its in-house GMP manufacturing unit.

Source: Sanofi