Sanofi has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire and Ablynx, a biopharma company focused on the discovery and development of Nanobodies, for approximately $4.8 billion. The transaction was approved by both boards of directors.
 
The acquisition is part of Sanofi’s innovation efforts focused on technologies addressing multiple disease targets with single multi-specific molecules.
 
Nanobodies are a new class of next-gen biologics. Ablynx’s nanobody technology supports an extensive pipeline of more than 45 proprietary and partnered candidates for a range of therapeutic areas such as hematology, inflammation, immuno-oncology and respiratory diseases. Eight nanobodies have entered clinical development.
 
Sanofi’s chief executive officer Olivier Brandicourt said, “With Ablynx, we continue to advance the strategic transformation of our Research and Development, expanding our late-stage pipeline and strengthening our platform for growth in rare blood disorders. This acquisition builds on a successful existing partnership. We are also pleased to reaffirm our commitment to Belgium, where we have invested significantly over the years in our state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility in Geel. We intend to maintain and support the Ablynx science center in Ghent.”
 
Ablynx’s chief executive officer Edwin Moses noted, “Since our founding in 2001, our team has been focused on unlocking the power of our Nanobody technology for patients. The results of our work are validated by clinical data. As we look ahead, we believe Sanofi’s global infrastructure, commitment to innovation and commercial capabilities will accelerate our ability to deliver our pipeline. Our Board of Directors feels strongly that this transaction represents compelling value for shareholders and maximizes the potential of our pipeline to the benefit of all stakeholders.”