EVOQ Therapeutics pens license deal with Sanofi

Chicago, USA-based biotech EVOQ Therapeutics has announced a collaboration and license agreement with French pharma major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) to develop autoimmune disease therapies using NanoDisc technology, focusing on restoring immune tolerance.

EVOQ explained that its proprietary breakthrough NanoDisc technology restores the body's natural immune tolerance pathways and opens the door for a wide range of disease-specific, curative therapies for multiple autoimmune diseases like celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, MOG (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein) antibody disease, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Current treatments do not address the root cause of autoimmune disease which is the breakdown and failure of the body's immune tolerance systems which results in the destruction of self-tissues.
To cure autoimmune disease, immune tolerance must be restored.

Under the terms of the agreement, EVOQ and Sanofi will collaborate on research activities, Sanofi will be responsible for the development and the commercialization efforts worldwide. EVOQ is eligible to receive over $500 million in total in upfront, preclinical, development and sales milestones, as well as tiered royalties on product sales.