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news.Private cancer biotechnology company Agensys has signed an agreement with Sanofi Pasteur, part of the Sanofi-Aventis Group, under which the two companies will collaborate on the R&D of vaccine products directed at colorectal and prostate cancers.
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The agreement provides Sanofi Pasteur with exclusive access to a portfolio of Agensys’ proprietary colorectal and prostate cancer targets, together with an option to obtain exclusive worldwide licenses to up to six selected targets for the development and commercialization of vaccine products.
The 36-month collaborative research program, which may be extended up to 12 additional months, will be conducted at both Sanofi Pasteur’s facility in Toronto and Agensys’ facility in Santa Monica. Agensys will focus on the selection and characterization of cancer targets, and Sanofi Pasteur will focus on the validation of these targets and the development of vaccine products.
Under the terms of the agreement, Agensys will receive an upfront payment, research funding and progress payments during the research program. Based on the successful development of vaccine products by Sanofi Pasteur, Agensys would receive licensee fees, milestone payments and royalties on sales.
“Collaborating with Sanofi Pasteur, a world leader in the development of vaccine products, validates our strategy of leveraging our proprietary cancer targets into different types of therapeutic product opportunities,” commented Donald Rice, chairman, president and CEO of Agensys. “Cancer vaccines may well complement other cancer treatments, including antibody therapies, which are the primary focus of Agensys’ product development activities.”