LibraGen and sanofi-aventis Sign Research Partnership
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LibraGen has announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with sanofi-aventis covering the use of LibraGen's know-how in microbial biodiversity.
The goal of this collaboration is the discovery of chemical structures derived from non-cultivable micro-organisms.
The global partnership is split into two phases, the first of which is a pilot. If successful, this may give rise to a long term collaboration between LibraGen and sanofi-aventis.
Initially, LibraGen will transfer to sanofi-aventis laboratory-extracted samples of existing non-cultivable micro-organisms.
Sanofi-aventis will add these to its chemical library and thus access unique compounds, produced under a reproducible process using LibraGen technology.
Depending on their biological activity, these compounds may be selected either for optimization of their chemical structure via synthesis so as to enhance their properties, or for direct pharmaceutical development.
"We finalized this partnership after a lengthy due-diligence procedure by sanofi-aventis to check out LibraGen's know-how and the quality of our technology," said Renaud Nalin, CEO of LibraGen.
"This contract strengthens LibraGen's position on the market and provides recognition of our know-how in identifying new active molecules and in producing high value-added molecules."
"LibraGen's technology allows us to build up our supply strategy for natural substances by giving us access to sources of new molecules that have been hitherto inaccessible," said Jean-Pierre Maffrand, director of discovery research at sanofi-aventis.
"These molecules could well be essential for our research programs for new medicines."
A pilot phase will trigger a long term collaboration in which LibraGen will supply a large number of active extracts that have been qualified on antiinfectious or antiproliferative targets.
Sanofi-aventis will have the right to acquire and/or develop any of these molecules in return for the payment of milestones and royalties to LibraGen.
The pharmaceutical group also holds exclusivity on part of the collection of original active extracts from LibraGen.
