Sanofi and Belharra form $700m immunology partnership

Belharra Therapeutics has entered a strategic partnership with the global pharmaceutical giant Sanofi to advance the development of small molecule therapies for immunological diseases. This collaboration, announced on June 18, entails an upfront payment of $40 million to Belharra, with potential additional payments that could total up to $700 million for research, development, commercial milestones, and royalties.

Based in San Diego, California, Belharra Therapeutics is a cutting-edge chemoproteomics company. It specializes in the creation of non-covalent small molecules by illuminating binding pockets on proteins. Utilizing its proprietary screening platform, Belharra will validate several targets selected by Sanofi. After this initial phase, Sanofi will handle the subsequent preclinical, clinical, and commercialization activities for the chosen drug candidates. John Bertin, Sanofi's Global Head of Immunology and Inflammation Research, emphasized the focus on exploring previously "undruggable" targets.

Belharra's unique platform aims to provide validated insights into elusive protein targets. It accomplishes this by illuminating binding pockets on proteins and identifying protein-protein interactions across various cell types. This versatile platform has also attracted interest from other pharmaceutical companies. Earlier in January 2023, Belharra entered a multi-year partnership with Genentech, a Roche Group member. This collaboration focuses on discovering and developing therapies for immuno-oncology, oncology, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. Belharra received an upfront payment of $80 million from Genentech and stands to receive additional milestone payments based on the success of the partnership.

Sanofi is keen on strengthening its position in both the immunology and small molecule treatment sectors. In April, Sanofi's partner, IGM Biosciences, announced a shift in their collaborative focus to concentrate solely on the development of immunoglobin M (IgM) agonist antibodies for immunology and inflammation targets. Additionally, in December 2023, Sanofi entered into another multi-year research collaboration, worth $140 million, with the French pharmatech company Aqemia. This partnership aims to harness Aqemia's artificial intelligence (AI) platform to discover and develop small molecule candidates for unspecified indications. Following the discovery phase, Sanofi will manage the wet lab research, development, and commercialization activities for these drug candidates.

Belharra’s approach focuses on non-covalent small molecules, utilizing its proprietary screening technology to validate drug targets. The company's expertise and innovative platform have made it a valuable partner for major pharmaceutical companies like Sanofi and Genentech. Through these collaborations, Belharra aims to address complex and challenging disease targets, particularly those that have been difficult to approach with traditional drug discovery methods.

Sanofi's partnership with Belharra is part of a broader strategy to enhance its capabilities in immunology and small molecule therapies. By collaborating with innovative companies like Belharra and leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, Sanofi aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of new treatments for immunological diseases. The combined expertise and resources of these partnerships are expected to yield significant advancements in the treatment of complex diseases, offering new hope for patients worldwide.