Sanofi Pasteur enters $3 billion acne treatment market in deal with UC San Diego

Moving into a new therapeutic sector, Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of French drug major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN), has entered into an R&D collaboration with the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) on an immunological approach to acne prevention and treatment targeting the specific neutralization of Propionibacterium acnes factors in inflammation.

According to Sanofi Pasteur’s estimates, the annual worldwide market for acne therapeutics is in excess of $3 billion. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The agreement includes a two-year research collaboration with Chun-Ming Huang and his associates at UC San Diego School of Medicine for further R&D.

“This opportunity could provide an immunotherapeutic product with significant benefits and a novel mechanism of action to address an unmet medical need,” according to Elias Zerhouni, president, global R&D Sanofi, adding: “This investigational vaccine and treatment may lead to a better solution for the many who suffer from this skin disease.”