Vir Biotechnology Announces Closing of Exclusive Worldwide License Agreement With Sanofi for Multiple Potential Best-in-Class Clinical-Stage T-Cell Engagers
Vir Biotechnology, Inc. announced that the exclusive worldwide license agreement with Sanofi announced on August 1, 2024, has closed following expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The agreement provides Vir with an exclusive worldwide license to three clinical-stage masked T-cell engagers (TCEs) with potential applications in a range of cancers and exclusive use of the proprietary PRO-XTENTM masking platform for oncology and infectious disease. Key employees from Sanofi with extensive scientific and development expertise in TCEs, and in-depth experience using the PRO-XTEN platform, will join Vir. Further information about the TCEs and their respective development plans will be provided at Vir’s upcoming R&D Day in November.
“The closing of this strategic agreement with Sanofi is a pivotal moment for Vir and a significant opportunity to help address patient unmet needs. We are excited to further advance the masked T-cell engagers in clinical development, bolstering our clinical pipeline and adding near-term value creation opportunities,” said Marianne De Backer, M.Sc., Ph.D., MBA, Vir’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our proven expertise in antibody engineering and clinical development combined with the innovative PRO-XTEN masking platform offers a unique opportunity to discover and develop therapies in oncology and infectious disease.”
The clinical-stage assets Vir is licensing under the agreement are:
- SAR446309 is a dual-masked HER2-targeted TCE in phase 1 clinical study including participants with metastatic treatment resistant HER2+ tumors such as breast and colorectal cancers.
- SAR446329 is a dual-masked PSMA-targeted TCE in phase 1 clinical study including participants with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
- SAR446368 is a dual-masked EGFR targeted TCE with an active IND. A phase 1 clinical study, which is expected to begin enrollment in the first quarter of 2025, will include participants with EGFR-expressing tumors of various types.