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Paris, France - December 22, 2008
Sanofi-aventis and Novozymes announce a development and commercialization collaboration for an innovative antibiotic
The drug candidate targets severe infections such as pneumonia and septicaemia.
Sanofi-aventis announced today the signature of a global licensing and
collaboration agreement with Novozymes for the development and marketing of a
potential new antibiotic.
The drug candidate is an antimicrobial peptide named plectasin NZ2114 that
targets the treatment of severe infections, such as pneumonia and septicaemia,
caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.
Under the terms of the agreement sanofi-aventis has been granted an exclusive
worldwide license for the development, registration and commercialization of the
drug. The two companies will jointly work to develop and implement
commercial-scale manufacturing of the plectasin NZ2114 drug substance, with the
goal of introducing a recombinant process building on Novozymes’ proprietary
expression technology.
“Plectasin NZ2114 is the first drug candidate that Novozymes has outlicensed for
further preclinical and clinical development. Teaming up with one of the largest
pharmaceutical companies in the world is the type of collaborations we were
looking for” said Per Falholt, Executive Vice President, Research & Development,
Novozymes.
“The innovative mechanism of action of plectasin NZ2114 makes it potentially
active against bacteria resistant to currently available treatments. We are
looking forward to developing plectasin NZ2114 for the treatment of severe
infections such as pneumonia, septicaemia, and complicated skin and soft tissue
infections” declared Dr. Marc Cluzel, Senior Vice President, Research & Development, sanofi-aventis.
About Plectasin NZ2114
Plectasin NZ2114 is a variant of plectasin, a novel class of antimicrobials,
active against resistant and sensitive Gram-positive bacteria like
Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.
About Novozymes
Novozymes is the world leader in bioinnovation. Together with customers across a
broad array of industries we create tomorrow’s industrial biosolutions,
improving our customers' business and the use of our planet's resources. Read
more at www.novozymes.com.
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 sanofi-aventis’
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.
