Translate Bio and Sanofi Expand mRNA Vaccines Collaboration

Translate Bio, a Lexington-based, clinical-stage mRNA therapeutics company, and Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines global business unit of Sanofi, have agreed to expand their existing 2018 collaboration and license agreement to develop mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases.

The expansion of this agreement will further unite Translate Bio’s expertise and knowledge from more than 10 years of mRNA research and development with Sanofi’s leadership in vaccine research and development. Under the expansion agreement, Translate Bio will receive a total upfront payment of $425 million and will also be eligible for potential future milestones and other payments up to $1.9 billion, including $450 million of milestones under the 2018 agreement. Of these potential milestones and other payments, approximately $360 million are anticipated over the next several years, inclusive of COVID-19 vaccine development milestones. In addition, Translate Bio is also eligible to receive tiered royalty payments based upon worldwide sales of the developed vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur will pay for all costs during the collaboration term. Under this agreement Sanofi Pasteur will receive exclusive worldwide rights for infectious disease vaccines.

Under the collaboration, Translate Bio is using its mRNA platform to discover, design and manufacture vaccine candidates and Sanofi Pasteur is providing its deep vaccine expertise to advance vaccine candidates into and through further development. Translate Bio will also transfer technology and processes to allow Sanofi Pasteur to develop and manufacture mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases.

The teams are currently evaluating multiple COVID-19 vaccine candidates in vivo for immunogenicity and neutralizing antibody activity to support lead candidate selection and the companies have the goal of initiating a first-in-human clinical trial in the fourth quarter of 2020.

The companies are also advancing an mRNA vaccine development candidate against influenza through preclinical studies with clinical trial initiation anticipated in mid-year 2021. Additional mRNA vaccine development programs under the collaboration include another viral pathogen and a bacterial pathogen. (Source: Translate Bio Website, 23 June, 2020)