Sanofi Expands Dren Bio Partnership With Potential $1.7 Billion Autoimmune Disease Collaboration

Dren Bio, a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company, has a new collaboration with Sanofi SA (NASDAQ:SNY). The new agreement is built on the existing relationship between the two companies, following Sanofi’s acquisition earlier this year of Dren Bio’s DR-0201 program for deep B-cell depletion.

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The collaboration covers the discovery and development of a next-generation B-cell depleting therapy for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases.

DR-0201, now known as SAR448501, is currently being evaluated in two ongoing phase one studies and has shown B-cell depletion, with the potential to induce sustained treatment-free remission in patients with autoimmune diseases.

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Under the terms of the agreement, Dren Bio will receive an upfront payment of $100 million and is eligible to receive up to $1.7 billion in development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments.

The companies will collaborate on discovery and preclinical development activities, leveraging Dren Bio’s proprietary platform.

Following development candidate selection, Sanofi will assume subsequent responsibility for development, manufacturing, regulatory and commercialization efforts.

Dren Bio has the option to enter into a U.S. profit/loss sharing arrangement with Sanofi.

If exercised, Dren Bio will co-fund 40% of ongoing global development costs in exchange for U.S. co-promotion rights and a 50/50 share of U.S. profits and losses.

Dren Bio will also remain eligible to receive milestones and tiered royalties on net sales outside the U.S.

SNY Price Action: Sanofi stock is down 2.87% at $47.29 at publication on Monday.

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