Sanofi and Evotec, a Hamburg, Germany-based drug-discovery and development company, have closed their deal to integrate Sanofi’s infectious disease unit into Evotec’s global drug discovery and development operations.

In March 2018, the two companies agreed to a deal under which Sanofi will license most of its infectious disease research and early-stage development portfolio and transfer its infectious disease research unit to Evotec. The transaction excludes the vaccine research and development (R&D) unit and related projects. This integration is part of the companies’ agreement to support Evotec in opening a new innovation platform near Lyon, France for infectious disease R&D.

The transaction will result in a EUR 60 million ($72 million) upfront cash payment and a guaranteed financial commitment from Sanofi to Evotec for five years. Under the deal, Evotec plans to accelerate the infectious disease research pipeline development and initiate new open-innovation R&D initiatives in anti-infectives. Evotec also plans to engage in collaborations with other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, foundations, academia and government agencies to further accelerate R&D into new products in infectious diseases. The initial areas of focus will be on antimicrobial resistance and superbug infections, tuberculosis, and malaria as well as on the creation of antiviral therapies with new mechanisms of action.

Source: Evotec