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Paris, France and Geneva, Switzerland - October 22, 2008
Sanofi-aventis and Medicines for Malaria Venture enter into collaboration to fight Malaria
Goal is to accelerate Research and Development of New Antimalarial Drugs.
Sanofi-aventis, and Medicines for
Malaria Venture announced today that they have entered into a joint agreement to speed up the
research and development of new treatments for malaria, an often fatal infectious disease in
developing countries that particularly affects pregnant women and children under the age of
five.
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) is a not-for-profit virtual research and development
organization dedicated to reducing the burden of malaria.
Under the terms of the agreement, sanofi-aventis will share information with MMV on its malaria
drugs portfolio. The portfolio includes a licensed fixed-dose combination of artesunate and
amodiaquine (Coarsucam®, or “ASAQ”), co-developed with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases
initiative (DNDi) and several compounds resulting from research collaborations with French
academic institutions and start-ups. These compounds which are today at various stages of
development include: ferroquine with the Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, a
trioxaquine compound with Palumed (Toulouse) and a bis-thiazolium compound with the Centre
National pour la Recherche Scientifique (Montpellier). In addition, a research program for new
antimalarials has been initiated within sanofi-aventis that will screen a very large number of
candidate compounds.
MMV and sanofi-aventis will set up working groups to review each of these projects and define
specific collaborative actions between the two organizations for their further development.
“Joining forces with MMV in the search for innovative antimalarial drugs will help us stay ahead
in the race against parasites that will sooner or later develop resistances to existing treatments.
This new partnership will enable us to mobilize each organization‘s expertise, resources and
know-how and create synergies that will speed up the availability of novel medicines for malaria
patients” said Marc Cluzel, Senior Vice-President R&D at sanofi-aventis.
“MMV is delighted to be working with an innovative organization such as sanofi-aventis that is
active in the fight against malaria. Malaria kills up to one million people annually, and the
majority of those who die are children under five and pregnant women,” said Dr. Chris
Hentschel, president and chief executive officer of MMV. “If we are to achieve eradication in the
long term we have to start with developing new antimalarials agents to stop this unacceptable
loss of life. With the help of sanofi-aventis the pipeline of new molecules effective against
malaria will be made more robust so that we can develop the next generation of powerful
treatments.”
About Medicines for Malaria Venture
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) was established in 1999 as a not-for-profit organization
created to discover, develop and deliver safe, effective and affordable antimalarial drugs
through effective public-private partnerships. MMV’s vision is a world in which affordable and
effective medicines will cure and protect the millions at risk of malaria and help to ultimately
eradicate this terrible disease.
MMV is currently managing the largest–ever portfolio of antimalarial projects in collaboration
with over 100 pharmaceutical, academic, and endemic-country partners. Its robust portfolio of
around 40 projects includes 19 completely new classes of compounds in the discovery phase.
Of the five projects in clinical development, three are artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs),
which will be registered by stringent regulatory authorities and are expected to gain market
authorization between 2008 and 2010.
About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes
therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis 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
product development, product potential projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements
regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future events, operations, products and
services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the
words “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans” and similar expressions. Although sanofiaventis’
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-aventis, 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 EMEA, 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 products candidates, the
absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval
and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with
the SEC and the AMF made by sanofi-aventis, including those listed under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in sanofi-aventis’ annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December
31, 2007. Other than as required by applicable law, sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking information or statements.
