Sanofi in-licenses ImmunoGen technology

USA-based ImmunoGen says that French pharmaceutical major Sanofi-Aventis has licensed non-exclusive rights to use its proprietary resurfacing technology to humanize antibodies.

Mitchel Sayare, chief executive of the US firm, said: "as part of the research, development and commercialization agreement established with us in 2003, Sanofi-Aventis gained rights to use our resurfacing technology to humanize the antibodies in the anticancer compounds included in the collaboration. The agreement announced [October 18] enables Sanofi-Aventis to now be able to use this technology to humanize antibodies being developed for non-oncology applications and to continue to use it with oncology antibodies after the expiration of our research collaboration."

The deal provides the French group with the non-exclusive right to use ImmunoGen's proprietary humanization technology through August 31, 2011, and this can be extended thereafter. ImmunoGen will receive a $1.0 million license fee, of which half is due upon contract signing, and is entitled to receive milestones potentially totaling $4.5 million plus royalties on sales for each compound humanized under this accord.