Sanofi and Evotec AG are in exclusive talks to advance research and development on infectious diseases through an Evotec-led open innovation platform near Lyon, France.
French drugmaker Sanofi will pay Evotec an initial, one-time, cash up-front payment of €60 million and provide long-term funding to support the portfolio. Sanofi will retain certain option rights on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of anti-infective products.
Sanofi will license most of its infectious disease R&D portfolio and transfer its infectious disease research unit to the German life sciences company, except the vaccine R&D unit and related projects.
Evotec will integrate Sanofi's infectious disease research unit, which employs more than 100 people, into its global drug discovery and development operations.
The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2018.
