Oxford BioMedia could gain $100 million in sanofi invasion target

UK gene cell therapy designer Oxford BioMedica’s shares jumped  as much as 11.2% to 12.30 pence this morning after announcing a $100 million collaboration and licence agreement with US hemophilia specialist Bioverativ , which last month agreed to be acquired by French pharma major Sanofi in a  $11.6 billion deal.

The agreement includes a licence to use OXB’s LentiVector Enabled technology and access to its industrial-scale manufacturing technology.  

Under the terms of the agreement, Oxford BioMedica will receive a $5 million upfront from Bioverativ. Oxford BioMedica is also eligible for various milestone payments, potentially worth in excess of $100 million, and undisclosed royalties on net sales of Bioverativ’s lentiviral vector hemophilia products.

Bioverativ will also fund process development and scale-up activities for its lentiviral vector hemophilia products at Oxford BioMedica. The agreement also allows for the parties to put in place a clinical supply agreement for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) production of hemophilia products at Oxford BioMedica.

The firm – an Oxford University spin out – last year entered into a similar deal with Swiss pharma giant Novartis for leukemia treatment.
“Today’s news demonstrates the value of our LentiVector Enabled platform and our leading capabilities and reputation in the industrial scale-up for lentiviral vectors for clinical and commercial supply,” commented Oxford BioMedica’s chief executive John Dawson.

He continued: “Bioverativ’s investment in hemophilia gene therapy underlines the potential of lentiviral vectors for use for in vivo gene therapy. This new deal, potentially worth in excess of $100 million, demonstrates Oxford BioMedica’s strategy of building multiple partnerships with leaders in their therapeutic categories and will support the group’s continued growth.

Oxford BioMedica is recognized as a world leader in the field of development and manufacturing of lentiviral vectors and we are delighted to be supporting Bioverativ in the development of gene therapy products to treat hemophilia.”