Sanofi-aventis announced at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) 2008 International Convention that three new therapeutic antibodies and six new vaccines in development are stemming from agreements signed in the past year. Therapeutics antibodies target inflammatory or oncology indication. The new vaccines are aimed at improving global health by fighting against serious infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, and pandemic influenza.

With those nine major agreements, sanofi-aventis and its vaccines division sanofi pasteur are actively partnering with biotech companies to develop molecules and vaccines for the future. Sanofi-aventis and sanofi pasteur have already committed to research and development partnerships with major universities, research institutes, government bodies, and contract research organizations.

With a strong representation at the 2008 BIO International Convention held in San Diego, California this week, the Group wants to seek new partnerships with biotechnology companies and academic institutions in an effort to speed up the discovery and development of new molecules and vaccines. "By expanding our Research & Development partnering activities, we shall complete our portfolio and offer more innovative solutions to improve patients' lives. Therefore we are developing a proactive partnership agenda to remain at the leading edge of research, especially in biotechnology and biotherapy" declared Marc Cluzel, senior vice president, research & development, sanofi-aventis. "In our development model, we dedicate our power and leadership to ensure that external breakthrough discoveries become successful innovative products", he added.

"We are interested in partners who will share our pursuit of innovation and our drive for excellence, and will become a part of a global health success story," added Wayne Pisano, president and chief executive officer of sanofi pasteur. "We welcome the opportunity to evaluate technologies and projects related to the development and production of human vaccines -- both prophylactic and therapeutic -- against infectious diseases, cancer and chronic diseases."

According to Wayne Pisano, who is also a member of the Health Section Governing Body of BIO, sanofi pasteur's collaborations cover virtually all aspects of vaccine development, including early-stage research.

"Large, established companies like sanofi-aventis and its vaccines division sanofi pasteur join small and new companies in attending the BIO International Convention to identify potential collaborations and partnerships that will ultimately lead to health-care innovations for the world," said Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "With an expected 12,000 partnering meetings expected to take place over the next few days, we anticipate that many new collaborations will begin as a result of these discussions."

This past year, sanofi-aventis initiated a major global collaboration with Regeneron to develop and commercialize fully-human therapeutic antibodies and increased its stake in Regeneron to 19%. The first therapeutic antibody entering clinical development under the collaboration is SAR153191, an antibody to the Interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) that will be tested in rheumatoid arthritis. The second one is SAR153192, an antibody to Delta-like ligand-4 (Dll4) that will be developed in oncology.

Sanofi-aventis has also entered into a strategic collaboration with Dyax in which sanofi-aventis has been granted an exclusive worldwide license for the development and commercialization of the fully human monoclonal antibody SAR161578, that has therapeutic potential in numerous solid tumors, as well as a license to Dyax's proprietary antibody phage display technology.

Moreover, sanofi-aventis entered into a research collaboration with the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, China, to generate therapeutic antibodies directed to acute myeloid leukaemia stem cells.

This past year, sanofi pasteur signed two agreements with Acambis : one on a new, single-dose Japanese encephalitis vaccine and another for the development of a vaccine to prevent West Nile virus disease, which is considered endemic in the US.

"We chose to partner with sanofi pasteur for its vision to bring critical vaccines to market, its manufacturing and distribution capabilities throughout the world, its considerable understanding of the regulatory systems, and its proven ability to commercialize vaccines successfully", declared Ian Garland, Acambis CEO.

Also in the past year, sanofi pasteur entered into other agreements with biotech companies and academic institutions, such as the Statens Serum Institut of Denmark on a new tuberculosis vaccine to fill a significant unmet medical need around the globe, with Crucell on monoclonal antibodies against rabies, with MedImmune on the licensure of its reverse genetics technology being used for pandemic preparedness, and with Institut Pasteur of France on the development of a malaria vaccine to relieve affected population from this scourge.