Sanofi expands mRNA expertise with $3.2 billion acquisition of Translate Bio

Pharmaceutical company Sanofi will acquire the clinical-stage mRNA therapeutics company Translate Bio in a transaction worth $3.2 billion.

The deal, which was unanimously approved by both Sanofi and Translate Bio’s Boards of Directors, follows a collaboration made by the companies in 2018 to work on mRNA vaccines. Sanofi states it has made the acquisition as part of its plans to accelerate the application of messenger RNA (mRNA) to develop therapeutics and vaccines. In April this year, Sanofi acquired the pre-clinical stage biotech company which has an mRNA-based approach for the in vivo reprogramming of immune cells.

“Translate Bio adds an mRNA technology platform and strong capabilities to our research, further advancing our ability to explore the promise of this technology to develop both best-in-class vaccines and therapeutics,” said Paul Hudson, Sanofi chief executive officer. “A fully owned platform allows us to develop additional opportunities in the fast-evolving mRNA space. We will also be able to accelerate our existing partnered programs already under development. Our goal is to unlock the potential of mRNA in other strategic areas such as immunology, oncology, and rare diseases in addition to vaccines.”

“Sanofi and Translate Bio have a shared commitment to innovation in the mRNA space. With Sanofi’s long-standing expertise in developing and commercialising vaccines and other innovative medicines on a global scale, Translate Bio’s mRNA technology is now even better positioned to reach more people, faster,” said Ronald Renaud, chief executive officer, Translate Bio. “The talented and dedicated Translate Bio team has built the foundation of a strong mRNA platform. Our expertise coupled with that of Sanofi has driven significant progress under the collaboration thus far, and we believe that this acquisition will strengthen the team’s ability to achieve the full potential of the mRNA technology.”

There are currently two ongoing mRNA vaccine trials under the collaboration, including a Covid-19 vaccine Phase 1/2 study and an mRNA seasonal influenza phase 1 trial. More so, Translate Bio has an early-stage pipeline in cystic fibrosis and other rare pulmonary diseases. Through the acquisition, Sanofi will gain access to Translate Bio’s proprietary mRNA therapeutic platform, which has been designed to deliver mRNA that can carry instructions to produce a range of proteins that can help treat or prevent disease.