Sanofi Signs Agreement for Type 1 Diabetes Research with Boston Academic Teaching Hospital

BOSTON, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN andNYSE: SNY) today announced a new research collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), a teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, focused on immunology of type 1 diabetes. The two organizations will share knowledge and apply their respective expertise in basic and applied research regarding diabetes and drug target and candidate development. 

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Under the terms of the agreement, researchers from both organizations will undertake proof-of-concept, safety and functional studies for a novel immunomodulatory approach to treat type 1 diabetes. Sanofi has an option to exclusively license intellectual property emerging from this collaboration.

"Our engagement in this important research collaboration exemplifies our aim to help identify new treatment options and ultimately bring real benefits to people with type 1 diabetes," commented Pierre Chancel, Senior Vice President, Global Diabetes, Sanofi. "By working together to translate academic knowledge into know-how about a potential new drug target, we hope to discover revolutionary new options for patients living with type 1 diabetes worldwide."

Diabetes affects nearly 26 million people in the U.S. alone, with an estimated global prevalence of 346 million people(1,2) - a number which the World Health Organization projected would double between 2005 and 2030. In diabetes the body does not produce enough insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, or cannot properly utilize the insulin it does make. It is the leading cause of kidney failure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke, and the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.(1)

"Brigham and Women's Hospital is excited to engage in this important research collaboration," said Barbara Bierer, M.D., Senior Vice President of Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital. "This strategic collaboration brings further recognition to the outstanding research of the renowned Brigham scientist Vijay Kuchroo, D.V.M., Ph.D. and his colleagues including, Drs. Terry Strom and Maria Koulmanda from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and the importance of the translation of fundamental discoveries into routine clinical practice."

Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed.  

About Sanofi Diabetes

Sanofi strives to help people manage the complex challenge of diabetes by delivering innovative, integrated and personalized solutions. Driven by valuable insights that come from listening to and engaging with people living with diabetes, the Company is forming partnerships to offer diagnostics, therapies, services, and devices including innovative blood glucose monitoring systems. Sanofi markets both injectable and oral medications for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Investigational compounds in the pipeline include an injectable GLP-1 agonist being studied as a single agent, in combination with basal insulin, and/or in combination with oral anti-diabetic agents.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the absence of guarantee that the product candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, the impact of cost containment policies and subsequent changes thereto, the average number of shares outstanding as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2011. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Contacts:
Sanofi R&D Communications
Elizabeth Baxter
Tel.: +1 908-981-5360
E-mail: [email protected]

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf  Accessed on July 9, 2012

[2] World Health Organization Diabetes Fact Sheet No. 312, August 2011 Accessed at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/index.html on July 9, 2012

SOURCE Sanofi