Sanofi announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement with Ablynx,Sanofi will acquire the latter for approximately €3.9 billion.The agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Sanofi and Ablynx. Sanofi believes that this acquisition, combined with its recent acquisition of Bioverativ and the agreement to secure global rights to Alnylam’s fitusiran, will further strengthen its position in the field of rare blood disorders.
Ablynx is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of Nanobodies® protein therapeutics based on single-domain antibody fragments.Ablynx is dedicated to creating new medicines that make a real impact on society. Currently, the company has more than 45 proprietary and collaborative projects across various therapeutic areas, including inflammation, hematology, tumor immunology, oncology, and respiratory diseases. The company also collaborates with multiple pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eddingpharm, Merck & Co., Merck KGaA, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and Taisho Pharmaceuticals. The company’s headquarters is located in Ghent, Belgium.
Nanobodies consist solely of naturally occurring heavy-chain antibodies; due to their small size and unique structure, they are ideal materials for developing novel biopharmaceuticals with multiple competitive advantages.Ablynx holds a leading advantage in nanobody technology, enabling rapid generation and large-scale production on its proprietary nanobody platform. Nanobodies combine the advantages of conventional antibody drugs with certain properties of small-molecule drugs, demonstrating significant potential in the treatment of various human diseases.
▲Comparison of Nanobodies and Conventional Antibodies(Image source: Ablynx official website)
The acquisition of Ablynx is also part of Sanofi’s ongoing commitment to breakthrough innovation. Ablynx’s technology platform supports more than 45 proprietary and collaborative deep-pipeline candidate drug development projects, targeting a broad range of therapeutic areas such as hematology, inflammation, immuno-oncology, and respiratory diseases. Eight of these nanobodies have entered clinical development.Ablynx’s most advanced product is caplacizumab (an anti-vWF nanobody) for the treatment of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP).The product has been submitted for review in the European Union and is expected to be submitted in the United States in the first half of this year.If approved, caplacizumab will become the first-in-class therapy for this acute, life-threatening condition.Furthermore, ALX-0171, an inhaled anti-RSV nanobody for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, is currently in Phase 2b clinical trials. It represents a potential breakthrough by Ablynx in addressing RSV infection symptoms, for which there are currently no widely available treatments. This project complements Sanofi’s RSV-related initiatives, as Sanofi is committed to accelerating development and maximizing the commercial potential of Ablynx’s existing and emerging portfolio.
▲Mr. Olivier Brandicourt, Chief Executive Officer of Sanofi(Image source: Sanofi official website)
Sanofi CEO Olivier Brandicourt commented: “With the addition of Ablynx, we will continue to advance our strategic R&D transformation, expand our late-stage pipeline, and strengthen our rare blood disorders development platform."This acquisition builds on a successful existing partnership. We are also pleased to reaffirm our commitment to Belgium, where we have invested significantly over the years in our advanced biologics manufacturing facility in Halle. We intend to maintain and support the Ablynx science center in Ghent."
Mr. Edwin Moses, CEO of Ablynx, stated: “Since our founding in 2001, our team has been dedicated to developing nanobody technologies for patients. Our work is validated by clinical data. Looking ahead, we believe that Sanofi’s global infrastructure and its commitment to innovation and commercial excellence will accelerate our ability to deliver our product pipeline. Our Board strongly believes that this collaboration offers compelling value for shareholders, maximizes the potential of our portfolio, and benefits all stakeholders.”
We anticipate that this acquisition will enable the development of more innovative therapies for a broad patient population, addressing a variety of rare and refractory diseases.
References:
[1] No Deal for Novo as Sanofi Swoops in With $4.85B Win for Ablynxata
[2] Sanofi to acquire Ablynx for ?3.9 Billion
[3] Ablynx Official Website