Sanofi Inks Nearly $1 Billion Deal to Develop Novel NK Cell/CD38 Antibody Combination Therapy

Today, Kiadis Pharma, a company dedicated to developing innovative natural killer (NK) cell therapies, announced that it has entered into a research and license agreement with Sanofi, granting Sanofi an exclusive license to develop K-NK004, a previously undisclosed project from Kiadis. K-NK004 is an NK cell therapy in which CD38 expression is eliminated through gene engineering knockout. Sanofi plans to combine it with Sarclisa, a CD38 antibody developed by the company, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. In addition, Sanofi has also obtained exclusive rights to use Kiadis’s K-NK platform to develop two undisclosed preclinical projects.

Natural killer (NK) cells constitute the first line of defense in the human body against cancer and infection. Antibodies work synergistically with NK cells to kill tumor cells, a process known as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, because NK cells express the CD38 antigen on their surface, treatment of multiple myeloma with anti-CD38 antibodies (such as Sarclisa) concurrently depletes the patient’s own NK cells.

Kiadis Pharma’s K-NK004 therapy employs genetically engineered NK cells to prevent CD38 expression, thereby conferring resistance to CD38-targeted therapies. Adjunctive infusion of CD38-knockout NK cells will restore the natural synergy between NK cells and antibodies, enhancing tumor cell killing and optimizing therapeutic efficacy.

▲Kiadis Pharma’s R&D Pipeline (Image source: Kiadis Pharma official website)

As part of the agreement, Kiadis will receive an upfront payment of €17.5 million and is entitled to potential milestone payments of up to €857.5 million upon Sanofi’s achievement of preclinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones (totaling nearly $1 billion). Kiadis will also receive tiered royalties on sales of approved products developed under this agreement.

It is worth noting that other companies are also employing the strategy of using genetic engineering to remove specific antigens from healthy cells, thereby protecting them from the harmful effects of targeted cancer therapies. Yesterday, Vor Biopharma, which is developing anticancer treatments using a similar approach, announced the completion of a $110 million Series B financing round. Its core technology originates from Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of the bestselling book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.

References:

[1] Kiadis licenses previously undisclosed pre-clinical K-NK-cell programs to Sanofi, with total potential deal value of €875 million, plus royalties. Retrieved July 8, 2020, from https://ir.kiadis.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kiadis-licenses-previously-undisclosed-pre-clinical-k-nk-cell

Original Title: Sanofi Strikes Nearly $1 Billion Deal to Build New NK Cell/CD38 Antibody Cancer-Fighting Combination

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