Press releases and press packs are intended to journalists, investors and shareholders.
Paris, France – December 3, 2009
Sanofi-aventis enters into an exclusive global licensing agreement with The Rockefeller University
Development of a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of Alzheimer’s
disease.
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced today an exclusive global
licensing agreement with The Rockefeller University (New York, NY) concerning
a novel monoclonal antibody, targeting certain specific forms of the Amyloid
Beta parenchymal plaque for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
The anti-Amyloid Beta (ABeta) antibody therapy is a highly attractive approach
to prevent and reverse the amyloid plaque formation which may lead to cognitive
improvement in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. This antibody is planned to
enter development at the end of 2009.
“It’s a great pleasure to interact with The Rockefeller University and
in particular with Dr. Jeffrey Ravetch, a worldwide expert in the engineering
of mAb Fc region and effector functions”, declared Marc Cluzel, Executive
Vice-President, R&D, sanofi-aventis. “Dr Ravetch discovered the original
murine monoclonal antibody targeting the Amyloid Beta peptide, one target which
may have a significant positive impact in the management of patients with Alzheimer’s
disease, which is a public health priority”.
“I am pleased to contribute with sanofi-aventis to the development of a
novel anti-ABeta antibody for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease” said
Dr. Jeffrey Ravetch – Professor and Head of the Leonard Wagner Laboratory of
Molecular Genetics and Immunology at The Rockefeller University. “The initial
studies suggest that this antibody may be an effective means of reducing the
progression of this widespread and debilitating disease”.
Under the terms of the agreement, sanofi-aventis will obtain an exclusive worldwide
license to develop, manufacture and commercialize the anti-ABeta antibody. The
terms of such license are undisclosed.
About Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, which
causes thinking and memory to become seriously impaired. It is the most common
form of dementia, a syndrome consisting of a number of symptoms that include
loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, and changes in mood, behavior and communication
abilities. Generally, it is diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, although
the less-prevalent early-onset Alzheimer’s can occur much earlier. In 2009,
the reported prevalence of Alzheimer’s is 35 million worldwide and to strongly
increase in the next decades due to ageing population.
About Amyloid Beta (ABeta) and Alzheimer’s disease
One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of amyloid
plaques between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Amyloid is a general term
for protein fragments that the body produces normally. Amyloid Beta is a protein
fragment snipped from an Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). In a healthy brain,
these protein fragments are broken down and eliminated. In Alzheimer’s disease,
the fragments accumulate to form hard, insoluble plaques.
About The Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a world-renowned center for research and graduate
education in the biomedical sciences, chemistry, and physics. Founded by John
D. Rockefeller in 1901, the university has been the site of many important scientific
breakthroughs. Rockefeller scientists established that DNA is the chemical basis
of heredity, discovered blood groups, showed that viruses can cause cancer,
founded the modern field of cell biology, and worked out the structure of antibodies.
Twenty-three Nobel Prize winners have been associated with the university.
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, 2008. Other than as required by applicable law,
sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
information or statements.
