Strategic Partnership Expanded Between Dren Bio and Sanofi for Next-Generation B-Cell Therapy
New Agreement Leverages Proprietary Platform to Discover First-in-Class Multispecific Antibodies for Autoimmune Diseases, Including a $100 Million Upfront Payment
Dren Bio, a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced an expanded strategic collaboration with Sanofi for the discovery and development of a next-generation B-cell depleting therapy intended for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases.
The new agreement builds upon the existing relationship established earlier this year when Sanofi acquired Dren Bio’s DR-0201 program (now known as SAR448501) for deep B-cell depletion. The DR-0201 program is currently in Phase 1 studies, demonstrating robust B-cell depletion with the potential to induce sustained, treatment-free remission in patients with autoimmune diseases.
This collaboration will further utilize Dren Bio’s proprietary Targeted Myeloid Engager and Phagocytosis Platform to discover “first-in-class” multispecific antibody therapeutics. The platform employs multispecific antibody technology designed to activate phagocytic mechanisms via a novel receptor selectively expressed on myeloid cells, aiming to deplete disease-causing agents with a potentially superior safety profile.
Financial and Partnership Details:
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Upfront Payment: Dren Bio will receive an initial cash payment of $100 million.
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Milestone Payments: The company is eligible to receive up to $1.7 billion in future development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments.
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Responsibilities: The companies will collaborate on discovery and preclinical development activities. Following the selection of a development candidate, Sanofi will assume subsequent responsibility for development, manufacturing, regulatory, and commercialization.
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U.S. Co-Funding Option: Dren Bio retains an option to co-fund 40% of ongoing global development costs in exchange for U.S. co-promotion rights and a 50/50 share of U.S. profits and losses. Dren Bio will also remain eligible to receive milestones and tiered royalties on net sales outside the United States.
Dren Bio noted that the U.S. profit/loss share option represents an important milestone in its growth toward becoming a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company.
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215349902/en/Dren-Bio-Expands-Strategic-Collaboration-with-Sanofi-to-Develop-Next-Generation-B-Cell-Depletion-Therapy
