Sanofi Joins Hands with German Biotech to Develop Improved AAV Capsids for Gene Therapies

On February 23, Munich-based SIRION Biotech GmbH announced signing a license and collaboration agreement with Sanofi. The agreement intends to harness SIRION’s capabilities as a leader in viral vector-based gene delivery technologies and develop improved tissue-selective adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for gene therapies.

SIRION’s Technology

AAVs are the most predominant vectors used to deliver genetic information. However, they have relatively small transgenes as well as the potential for mutagenesis. At high multiplicity of infection, wild-type AAV integrates into human chromosome 19 in approximately 60% of latently infected cell lines. Though AAV is not known to cause disease in humans, insertional mutagenesis may be a concern.

SIRION evolves novel therapeutic viral vectors and uses proprietary technology platforms based on lenti-, adeno-, and adeno-associated viruses to expedite advances in drug development. Its improved AAV vectors are intended to overcome the shortcomings of traditional AAVs.

Sanofi, working together with SIRION and Prof. Dirk Grimm, a renowned scientist at Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany, will combine their proprietary technology platforms and develop new and modified AAV capsids that exhibit a safe product profile with improved specificity and higher gene delivery efficiency.

“Sanofi is an ideal partner with decades-long experience in treating a multitude of disorders and exploring viral vectors as a therapeutic modality. AAV vectors with improved efficacy can enable quickly entering into clinical trials with efficient, safe, low doses and scalable therapeutic candidates and can expand the impact of gene therapies.” Christian Thirion, Ph.D., CEO and Co-founder of SIRION

Company History and Outlook

SIRION Biotech was founded in 2005, and in the past 16 years, it has taken 2 venture rounds from undisclosed investors in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Following these rounds of investment, SIRION showed a record growth only a few years later in 2018-2019 as a result of their product, LentiBoost. The first half of 2019 brought in service and licensing revenue of €6M (US$6.6M).

LentiBOOST is a non-cytotoxic transduction enhancer for the preclinical and clinical application of lentiviral vectors. As a universally acting (receptor-independent) adjuvant, it can be applied to a wide range of clinically relevant cell types, including CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), primary T cells, and NK cells. These unique features make it promising to enhance SIRION’s products like CAR-T cell therapies which accounted for a global market worth $482.2 million in 2019.

Along with their successful viral vector and ex vivo cell therapy products, SIRION has 9 registered patents and 2 trademarks. The mid to long-term future looks bright considering the partnership with Sanofi despite the decline in the SIRION stock price since January 27th.

Related Article: Daiichi Sankyo Collaboration Marks ViGeneron’s Second Gene Therapy Deal in a Single Month

References

1. https://www.sirion-biotech.com/newsroom_post/sirion-biotech-collaboration-with-sanofi

Author

Eduardo Longoria