Sanofi Pasteur related Press Releases

ORGANOBALANCE Signs Licensing Agreement with Sanofi Pasteur

Jennifer Levin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:12:33 -0500

ORGANOBALANCE Signs Licensing Agreement with Sanofi Pasteur

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 11, 2012 -- Berlin, 11 January 2012 - The company ORGANOBALANCE GmbH, Berlin, Germany, today announced the conclusion of a licensing agreement with Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY). This will provide Sanofi Pasteur with access to a modified yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, more commonly known as baker's yeast) for use in vaccines. By signing the agreement, ORGANOBALANCE is granting Sanofi Pasteur exclusive rights to use of the modified yeast strain in the production of vaccines.

Prof. Christine Lang, Managing Director of ORGANOBALANCE GmbH, sees the licensing agreement as a further milestone for the company: "The modified form of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, both developed and patented by our company, is just one example of the far-reaching expertise ORGANOBALANCE has to offer in the field of metabolic engineering. By making this agreement, we are strengthening our outstanding position in microbial strain development and the application of yeasts in industrial biotechnology. We are delighted to have made this agreement with Sanofi Pasteur, a partner who will make commercial use of our research findings on an industrial scale."

About ORGANOBALANCE:

ORGANOBALANCE GmbH is a company specialising in microbiological strain development. ORGANOBALANCE targets the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains for synthesising materials which can be applied in the processes of industrial and pharmaceutical biotechnology. The company also focuses on tapping the potential of beneficial microorganisms, known as specific probiotic cultures, in order to balance out the microflora and restore the microbial equilibrium in a natural way. By drawing on its own collection of microorganisms suitable for use in foodstuffs, as well as its own OASSYS® screening systems, ORGANOBALANCE develops new biological products in the areas of pharmaceutics, preventive healthcare, nutrition and cosmetics. ORGANOBALANCE was founded in 2001 and is based in Berlin, Germany. More information can be found at http://www.organobalance.com.

Further information:
ORGANOBALANCE GmbH
Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25
13355 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49 30 46307-200
Fax: +49 30 46307-210
Email: info@organobalance.com
Internet: http://www.organobalance.com

Press contact:
COMAGO
Communication . Marketing . Organisation
Helmut Landenberger
Wiesenstraße 55
14612 Falkensee
Germany
Tel.: +49 33 22 84 06 52
Fax: +49 33 22 84 06 53
Email: mail@comago.de
Internet: http://www.comago.de

CureVac, Sanofi Pasteur and In-Cell-Art Collaborate on a $33.1 Million Project Co-Funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research P

Maureen Martino — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:35:52 -0500

CureVac, Sanofi Pasteur and In-Cell-Art Collaborate on a $33.1 Million Project Co-Funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

4-year collaboration in field of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases
Collaboration validates, diversifies and further strengthens CureVac's RNActive® technology platform
Parallel commercial agreements with Sanofi Pasteur for specific pathogens provide potential upside to CureVac

Tübingen, Germany, November 15, 2011 / B3C newsire / - CureVac GmbH today announced the signing of several agreements with Sanofi Pasteur S.A., the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY). Under these agreements, CureVac and Sanofi Pasteur will further develop and apply CureVac's proprietary RNActive® technology platform to the development of vaccines against several infectious diseases.

A research proposal with total funding of $33.1 million involving a collaboration among CureVac, Sanofi Pasteur (including Sanofi Pasteur VaxDesign Corp.) and In-Cell-Art S.A.S., a French biotech company contributing its nanoparticle technology, has been selected by DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (an agency of the United States Department of Defense). In this 4-year project, CureVac and the other parties to the collaboration will further advance key aspects of CureVac's RNActive® technology platform and will evaluate several vaccine candidates in a number of relevant disease models

Parallel to the collaboration agreements, CureVac and Sanofi Pasteur have also signed an option agreement with pre-agreed license terms for several pre-defined pathogens. Sanofi Pasteur's option rights are linked to fulfillment of certain agreed acceptance criteria relating to the DARPA project. CureVac retains the rights to its own core development programs and to all of its background technology for any other pathogens outside those within the Sanofi Pasteur option.

"We are very pleased that Sanofi Pasteur has recognized the full potential of our RNActive® technology platform for the development of vaccines particularly for infectious diseases. This multi-year collaboration will allow us to significantly strengthen our technology platform and to scale it up for commercial vaccination purposes," says Ingmar Hoerr, CEO of CureVac. "The opportunity to collaborate with a world-leading vaccine company such as Sanofi Pasteur is an exciting step as we continue to demonstrate in both the commercial and defense-related settings the broad applicability and versatility of our RNActive® technology platform, which may become game changing for the vaccine field," adds Karl-Josef Kallen, Head of R&D at CureVac.

Under the terms of the license agreements, CureVac may receive an upfront payment from Sanofi Pasteur for each pathogen, research funding and payments for achieving several clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones. For each pathogen subject to Sanofi Pasteur's option, the agreements could encompass up to €101.5 million for CureVac in upfront and milestone payments in addition to tiered royalties on sales of RNActive® vaccines if Sanofi Pasteur develops a prophylactic or a therapeutic vaccine against such pathogen and up to €150.5 million if Sanofi-Pasteur develops both a prophylactic and a therapeutic vaccine. Under the license agreements, Sanofi Pasteur will fund all research and development activities and will have exclusive marketing rights worldwide for RNActive® vaccines against the pathogens for which Sanofi Pasteur has exercised the option.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUPPORT AND DISCLAIMER: This press release relates to work that will be supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under Contract No. HR0011-11-3-0001. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this press release are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

About CureVac
CureVac is the global leader in mRNA based vaccination technologies and develops mRNA-based vaccines as therapeutic vaccines in oncology as well as prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases. The company has completed Phase I/IIa studies with cancer vaccines based on its RNActive® technology platform for the treatment of prostate cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In addition, CureVac also independently develops RNActive® prophylactic vaccines against various infectious diseases. The company has also developed RNA-based adjuvants. Results with these CureVac products strongly suggest that they are safe and capable of inducing balanced immune responses including humoral and cellular, Th1 and Th2 and effector and memory responses. For more information, please visit: http://www.curevac.com/

About DARPA
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was established in 1958 to prevent strategic surprise from negatively impacting U.S. national security and create strategic surprise for U.S. adversaries by maintaining the technological superiority of the U.S. military. To fulfill its mission, the Agency relies on diverse performers to apply multi-disciplinary approaches to both advance knowledge through basic research and create innovative technologies that address current practical problems through applied research. DARPA's scientific investigations span the gamut from laboratory efforts to the creation of full-scale technology demonstrations in the fields of biology, medicine, computer science, chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, material sciences, social sciences, neurosciences and more (examples include inventions and early work relating to the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the internet). As the DoD's primary innovation engine, DARPA undertakes projects that are finite in duration but that create lasting revolutionary change.

About Sanofi Pasteur
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us.

About In-Cell-Art
In-Cell-Art, which is headquartered in Nantes (in western France), is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the preclinical and pharmaceutical development of nano-carriers for macromolecular drugs. Its founder and research team, which includes a Nobel Laureate, have designed new classes of vectors that are organized on a nano-metric scale, which enables them to cross the cell barrier efficiently and safely. In-Cell-Art is a privately held company that was founded in 2005. It is a member of the Atlantic Biotherapies high-tech cluster of biotechnology companies in western France.

For further information, please contact:
CureVac GmbH
Dr. Philipp Bastian
Phone +49 (0) 7071 92053 88
E-mail: philipp.bastian@curevac.com

Training on Change Management Oversight Offered at CBI's eTMF Boot Camp - November 14-15, 2011 in Philadelphia

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:20:57 -0400

BOSTON, Oct. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 13 leading industry speakers will present at CBI's 2nd Annual Pharma/Bio Boot Camp on Electronic Trial Master Files on November 14-15, 2011 in Philadelphia. Nearly 100 TMF professionals convene for this interactive and educational exploration of the major shift taking place in the clinical trials -- moving from paper documentation to electronic files.

Often called the heart of a clinical trial, the TMF is re-examined as it moves to a more effective and efficient platform. The conference begins at an inclusive workshop "Explore the eTMF Platform," which covers the essentials of an eTMF. The conference then offers five tactical case studies, a roundtable discussion, and much more.

Networking opportunities are available both days with such industry leaders as Genzyme, Takeda, Forest Laboratories, MedImmune, Johnson & Johnson, Montrium, Sanofi Pasteur, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Roche Pharmaceuticals, and many more.

For more information and details on how to register for this event, visit http://www.cbinet.com/eTMF.

Contact:

Cathy Rossi-Cecere
Phone number: 339-298-2128
Email address: cathy@cbinet.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE CBI

Sanofi Pasteur Donates Vaccine Strain Used for Polio Eradication to WHO

Erica Teichert — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:46:54 -0400

LYON, France, September 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Vaccine strain used in the production of oral polio vaccines against type 3 poliovirus -

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today it is donating to the World Health Organization (WHO) a vaccine strain used for polio eradication. The biological material given by Sanofi Pasteur is the original viral seed used to produce large quantities of oral polio vaccines (OPV) against type 3 poliovirus. With this donation from Sanofi Pasteur, WHO will be in full control of the storage of the vaccine strain and its distribution to vaccine producers worldwide.

"Sanofi Pasteur is a leading contributor to the fight against polio and committed supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative," said Olivier Charmeil, President and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur. "We have provided polio type 3 viral seeds free of charge to polio vaccine manufacturers worldwide for the last 30 years. This donation is a logical next step to our 30-year unconditional support to OPV producers and a demonstration of our continued commitment to public health."

Since 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, spearheaded by WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF, has achieved a 99% reduction of the number of polio cases worldwide. Polio is caused by three strains of poliovirus, types 1, 2 and 3. Wild poliovirus type 2 has already been eliminated, and it is hoped that polio type 1 and 3 will be eradicated within a few years, definitively wiping polio from the surface of the earth.

OPV is instrumental for the roll-out of nationwide immunization days. The OPV type 3 vaccine strain was officially recommended in 1990 by WHO as the standard for producing oral polio vaccine (OPV) type 3.

Sanofi Pasteur in the fight against polio

Sanofi Pasteur has been supporting the Global Polio Eradication Initiative since its launch in 1988. Recently, Sanofi Pasteur responded to a UNICEF request by committing to provide 400 million doses of OPV in 2011-2012 for use in developing countries. Over the past decades, Sanofi Pasteur has supplied more than 5 billion doses of OPV to UNICEF.

Between 1997 and 2005, Sanofi Pasteur donated over 120 million doses of OPV to respond to emergency situations in African countries affected by conflicts. In response to an outbreak in Egypt and a request from WHO, the company developed the first monovalent oral polio vaccine, which helped in declaring Egypt polio free in 2006.

The company has developed other specially formulated polio vaccines to target specific regional situations. In addition to producing multiple formulations of OPV, the company is a leading supplier of injectable inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), which is available as a stand-alone polio vaccine as well as a component of combination vaccines that protect against many diseases in a single shot.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: http://www.sanofipasteur.com or http://www.sanofipasteur.us

Sanofi Pasteur Acquires Exclusive, Worldwide License for Acne Vaccine and Treatment- The pre-clinical vaccine was developed by r

Maureen Martino — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:13:25 -0400

Sanofi Pasteur Acquires Exclusive, Worldwide License for Acne Vaccine and Treatment- The pre-clinical vaccine was developed by researchers at the University of California, San Diego -

Lyon, France - September 21, 2011 - Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today a research and development collaboration with the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) on an immunological approach to acne prevention and treatment targeting the specific neutralization of Propionibacterium acnes factors in inflammation.

Acne vulgaris (acne) is one of the most common skin diseases worldwide and affects more than 50 million people in the United States alone.1 The disease has multiple, complex factors and is associated in particular with the Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium P. acnes that is a normal member of the human skin microflora.2 Current treatment of mild forms of acne involves killing P. acnes with bactericidal agents such as benzoyl peroxide and oral or topical antibiotics, all of which indiscriminately kill many bacterial species and disrupt the normal balance of the skin microflora.3 Long-term use of antibiotics also leads to resistant strains of P. acnes.4

"This opportunity could provide an immunotherapeutic product with significant benefits and a novel mechanism of action to address an unmet medical need," according to Elias Zerhouni, M.D., President, Global Research & Development, Sanofi. "This investigational vaccine and treatment may lead to a better solution for the many who suffer from this skin disease."

According to Sanofi Pasteur's estimates, the annual worldwide market for acne therapeutics is in excess of US $3 billion. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The agreement includes a two-year research collaboration with Dr. Chun-Ming Huang and his associates at UC San Diego School of Medicine for further research and development.

About Acne5,6,7
Acne is an extremely common multi-factorial skin disease with a prevalence of 80 to 90 percent in adolescents. The disease sometimes continues through the teenage years; eight percent of 25 to
34-year olds and three percent of 35 to 44-year-old people continue to suffer from the disease. Moderate to severe acne occurs in 14 percent of five to 17-year olds and this group is more likely to seek treatment and currently faces an unmet medical need. Acne is considered a chronic disease for a limited life-time period and, although often a simple and self-limited condition, it can result in psychological, physical and social implications.

About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such products candidates, the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2010. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Top 5 Ways to Get Insider Track on Healthcare, Pharma & Biotech Discoveries & Latest News

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:20:35 -0400

PARSIPPANY, N.J., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology – they're all tremendous sectors that can impact our economy and the lives of literally every person on the planet. And now industry experts are revealing the top five ways to get the insider track on these critical issues!

#1- Soak up the expertise from 75+ expert speakers at the Pharma CI Conference & Exhibition on September 13-14 in Parsippany, New Jersey. These competitive intelligence experts come from prestigious companies like Alexion, Astellas, Bausch & Lomb, Bayer, Biovail, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cephalon, Covidien, CSL Behring, DSM, Eisai, Endo, Genentech, Genzyme, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Merck, Merrimack, Millennium, Pfizer, Philips Healthcare, Quintiles, Roche, Sanofi Aventis, Sanofi Pasteur, Viropharma, and many more!

#2- Learn about and debate the industry's most pressing topics in 50+ sessions, including:
- Pharma 3.0 and the New Health Care Ecosystem
- Pharma Baby Boomer Strategies
- Collecting Generic CI from India and China
- Regulatory Intelligence
- Changing Role of Government in Healthcare
- Challenges for CI in Rare Diseases
- Predictive Intelligence
- Emerging Markets Strategies
- & much more!

#3- Network with all the industry's luminaries. More than 300 people came in 2010! The Pharma CI Conference is the biggest and best gathering of pharmaceutical competitive intelligence thought leaders in the world.

#4- Infiltrate the "in crowd." The Pharma CI Conference provides a casual and intimate setting, as well as the highest ratio of industry practitioners (pharma biotech, medical device and diagnostics) of any pharma intelligence conference!

#5- To get #1 - #4, savvy insiders know they must attend the 2011 Pharma CI Conference & Exhibition on September 13-14 in Parsippany, New Jersey. This event only happens once a year! This is THE INDUSTRY'S GOLD STANDARD for senior level pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostics professionals seeking the latest news and the industry's best networking opportunities.

VIP access at the Pharma CI Conference includes valuable face time with other key decision makers, learning about the most crucial issues facing today's competitive intelligence community, and taking advantage of a world-class line up of speakers and panelists offering their unique insights and expertise on the topics you care about most.

For more information, go to http://www.pharmaciconference.com/, call +1.212.228.7974, or email info@pharmaciconference.com

SOURCE Pharma CI Conference

Canadian Biotech Industry Recognizes Its Top Performers:Gold Leaf Awards Honour Canadian Biotech Innovation

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:20:39 -0400

Cardiome Pharma Corp, Allon Therapeutics, Sanofi Pasteur, industry leader Yves Rosconi honoured with prestigious awards.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BIOTECanada will formally present the 2011 winners of the prestigious Gold Leaf Awards, tomorrow afternoon, during the BIO International Convention in Washington. Nominated and judged by biotechnology industry leaders, the awards honour companies and individuals in Canada’s biotech industry whose demonstrated innovation and financial success in 2010 best reflect the vital contribution biotech is making to the growing global bio-economy.

Vancouver’s Cardiome Pharma Corp, took top honours as company of the year for its succession developing proprietary drugs to treat or prevent cardiovascular and other diseases.

The early stage company award in the health category went to Allon Therapeutics, recognizing the company’s clinical trial successes and progress toward commercializing products in devastating degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and several types of frontotemporal dementia. EnWave Corporation was awarded company award for early stage industrial biotechnology, for their development of commercial applications for Radiant Energy Vacuum dehydration technology.

“These two companies have demonstrated an inherent entrepreneurial spirit to seek out made in Canada solutions," commented Brad Thompson, Ph.D. Chairman of BIOTECanada. "Together we are building a world-leading bio-economy and establishing the foundations for a safer, cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future."

The association also awarded a national industry leadership award to Mr. Yves Rosconi. A highly accomplished leader, Mr. Rosconi has more than 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry in Canada and internationally. During his years at Theratechnologies, Mr. Rosconi made it his mission to complete the various stages of the clinical trials for tesamoreline, as well as the regulatory process in the United States for acceptance. He also played an important role in the conclusion of a partnership for the exclusive rights for the commercialization of tesamoreline in the U.S.

New this year is an award to recognize corporate contribution to Canadian communities. The 2011 recipient, Sanofi-Pasteur, was chosen for going beyond producing quality vaccines to promoting and creating healthy communities. Sanofi Pasteur activities span a variety of initiatives such as inspiring students through our Bio Talent Challenge, and supporting employees in causes near to them.

For more details about the award winners visit: www.goldleafawards.ca.

ABOUT BIOTECanada www.biotech.ca BIOTECanada is dedicated to the sustainable commercial development of biotechnology innovation in Canada. It is the national industry-funded association with over 250 member companies representing the broad spectrum of biotech constituents including emerging and established firms in the health, industrial, and agricultural sectors, as well as academic and research institutions and other related organizations.

Canadian Biotechnology Company of the Year: Cardiome

CEO Doug Janzen sees Cardiome making great strides in the next five years. “2010 was a momentous year for Cardiome with the European marketing approval of vernakalant IV (Brinavess). Over the next five years, we look forward to seeing Vernakalant IV approved in many additional territories beyond Europe. Cardiome also expects to leverage its expertise to build a diversified portfolio with projects at various stages of development. The focus for internal R&D efforts is, and will continue to be on targets for diseases with a high unmet need,” he said.

Early Stage Company of the Year (Health): Allon Therapeutics

Gordon McCauley, Allon’s President and CEO commented. “Being chosen as Canada’s leading pre-commercial healthcare biotech company is a great honour and an enormous compliment to the dedication, innovation, and excellence demonstrated by our team every day,” said McCauley. “It is also important recognition of the investigators, patients, and caregivers we partner with to find solutions to these awful diseases.”

Early Stage Company of the Year (Industrial): Enwave Corp.

Dennis Fotinos, President and CEO hopes this award will help bring attention to EnWave from the larger pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies who want to produce shelf-stable biopharmaceutical products in vials, but want a faster, cheaper process than lyophilization.

Industry Leadership: Yves Rosconi

" It is a great honour to have been chosen for this award by my peers. Leadership is a cornerstone competency necessary for the success of the biotechnology industry in Canada. I look forward to applying this leadership on boards of biotechnology companies and contribute further to the success of the industry in Canada and abroad," commented Yves Rosconi.

Contribution to Canadian Communities: Sanofi Pasteur Ltd.

“Sanofi Pasteur is honoured to receive this recognition. Our company was built on one man's determination to make a difference. Today, we have over 1100 employees in Canada continuing the legacy of protecting public health, supporting science education and enhancing the lives of people in the community,” said Mark Lievonen, President, Sanofi Pasteur Limited.

Join us at the Canada Café at the BIO International Convention to meet Canada’s best in biotechnology. June 28th, 2011 in Washington DC. Booth number 3705 at 4pm.

CONTACT:

BIOTECanada
Nadine Lunt
613-793-6338
nadine.lunt@biotech.ca

KEYWORDS: United States North America Canada Washington

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Biotechnology

MEDIA:

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Merck and Sanofi Pasteur Initiate Phase III Study in the United States of Pediatric Combination Vaccine

Erica Teichert — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:27:17 -0400

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) and Sanofi Pasteur (SASY.PA) Initiate Phase III Study in the United States of Pediatric Combination Vaccine to Help Prevent Six Infectious Diseases

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. & LYON, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE:MRK - News) (known outside the United States and Canada as MSD) and Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT:SAN - News), announced today the initiation of a Phase III clinical program to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of an investigational pediatric hexavalent combination vaccine1. This combination vaccine is designed to help protect against six potentially serious diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (Bordetella pertussis), polio (poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3), invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, and hepatitis B.

The investigational vaccine is a combination of select components: DTaP5-IPV-Hib- HepB; Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Adsorbed, Inactivated Poliovirus, Haemophilus b Conjugate (Meningococcal Outer Membrane Protein Complex), and Hepatitis B (Recombinant) Vaccine. The vaccine is being developed as part of a partnership between Merck and Sanofi Pasteur that focuses on the development of pediatric combination vaccines.

"Combination vaccines simplify the childhood immunization schedule and may improve coverage, on time vaccination and reduce the number of injections for children," said Gary S. Marshall, M.D., professor of pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine.

The Phase III clinical program will begin in the United States with a randomized, open-label, active-comparator controlled clinical trial that will involve approximately 1,440 infants at multiple centers. The primary study objectives are to assess the safety and immunogenicity of the investigational hexavalent combination vaccine when given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age concomitantly with Prevnar 13TM Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine (Diphtheria CRM197 Protein) and ROTATEQ® (Rotavirus Vaccine, Live, Oral, Pentavalent). The clinical program is expected to begin in Europe this year. For more information on this study, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

The Phase III program was initiated following results from a Phase IIb clinical trial of 459 children that assessed the safety and immunogenicity of the investigational combination vaccine.

"Based on the results of Phase II trials, we are pleased to move this investigational hexavalent combination vaccine to a late-stage clinical program," said Michel DeWilde, Ph.D., senior vice president, Research and Development, Sanofi Pasteur. "We partnered with Merck to draw on the companies' combined leadership, experience and expertise in the development, manufacturing and marketing of pediatric combination vaccines."

In the United States, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) generally recommend the use of combination vaccines instead of individual injections, considering the potential for improved vaccination coverage.

"The need to consolidate vaccinations for infants will become increasingly important as the number of diseases that vaccines help prevent continues to increase," said Tony Ford-Hutchinson, Ph.D., senior vice president, Vaccines Research, Merck. "The development of a hexavalent combination vaccine is complex. The ability to share expertise and capabilities with our partner Sanofi Pasteur is fundamental in reaching our shared goal of developing new combination vaccines that may improve vaccination rates of children."

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

About sanofi-aventis

Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT:SAN - News) and in New York (NYSE:SNY - News). For more information, please visit: www.sanofi-aventis.com.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us.

Pieris to Present at BioCentury Future Leaders in the Biotech Industry Conference

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:20:28 -0400

FREISING, Germany, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pieris AG announced today that Stephen Yoder, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present at the 18th Annual BioCentury Future Leaders in the Biotech Industry Conference 2011, to be held Friday, April 15, 2011 at the Millennium Broadway Hotel & Conference Center in New York, New York. Mr. Yoder and Dr. Laurent Audoly, Chief Scientific Officer, will be available to respond to questions during a breakout session immediately following the presentation, and to participate in one-on-one meetings.

Event: BioCentury Future Leaders in the Biotech Industry Conference 2011

Date: Friday, April 15, 2011

Time: 9:30 am ET (Breakout Session: 10:00-10:30 am ET)

Place: The Millennium Broadway Hotel & Conference Center, New York, NY (Room 402/403)

Pieris AG is an independent, clinical-staged biotechnology company advancing its proprietary Anticalin(r) technology to create safer, more efficacious and more convenient protein therapeutics. Exclusive to Pieris, Anticalin-based drugs promise to address high-unmet medical needs and expand the therapeutic potential of current targeted approaches. Pieris' pipeline ranges from its Phase I compound, PRS-050 (anti-VEGF, oncology), to multiple Anticalins in preclinical development. The company has three ongoing collaborations: a drug discovery partnership with Takeda San Francisco; a multi-year, multi-target agreement with Sanofi-Aventis and Sanofi Pasteur (EUROMEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY); and a deal with Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN), focusing on novel treatments for eye diseases. Privately held, Pieris has been funded by premier biotechnology-focused venture capital, including lead investors OrbiMed Advisors and Global Life Science Ventures. For more information, please visit: http://www.pieris-ag.com.

    For more information, please contact:

    Stephen Yoder, CEO
    Pieris AG
    +49(0)8161-1411-400
    info@pieris-ag.com

SOURCE Pieris AG

Sanofi Pasteur Starts a Phase II Vaccine Trial for Primary Prevention of Clostridium Difficile

Maureen Martino — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 09:48:33 -0500

Sanofi Pasteur Starts a Phase II Vaccine Trial for Primary Prevention of Clostridium Difficile

Vaccine Against one of the Most Common Causes of Hospital-acquired Infection in North America & Europe Tested in the U.S.

SWIFTWATER, Pennsylvania, November 29, 2010/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that it has started its phase II clinical study of a vaccine for primary prevention of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). The trial starting in the United States is focused on evaluating prevention of the first episode of CDI in at-risk individuals, which includes adults with imminent hospitalization or current or impending residence in a long-term care or rehabilitation facility.

The incidence of CDI has increased significantly in recent years in both North America and Europe. CDI-related treatments in these two regions of the world are estimated to be costing more than $7 billion a year. The recent emergence and spread of a hyper-virulent strain of C. difficile further highlights the importance of preventing CDI.

C. difficile is present worldwide and has become the most frequent hospital-acquired infection in the U.S., Europe, and Canada. Standard treatment of C. difficile infection involves the use of antibiotics. The Sanofi Pasteur trial is investigating the safety and immunogenicity of different formulations of a Clostridium difficile toxoid vaccine administered in adults aged 40 to 75 years who are at risk of C. difficile infection.

"Sanofi Pasteur has chosen a well established approach for this particular vaccine Toxoids have been used as the basis of a number of highly successful vaccines," explained Michel DeWilde, PhD, Senior Vice President for R&D at Sanofi Pasteur."This candidate vaccine has completed phase I clinical trials in more than 200 participants to evaluate its safety and immunogenicity."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted fast-track designation to Sanofi Pasteur's investigational Clostridium difficile vaccine candidate. The fast-track program of the FDA is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of new drugs and vaccines that are intended to treat or prevent serious or life-threatening conditions and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs.

The phase II trial hopes to recruit approximately 650 participants at some 30 health-care centers across the U.S. For more information on the trial and the sites conducting the study, go to http://www.Clintrials.gov.

About C. difficile

C. difficile is an anaerobic spore-forming bacterium, present asymptomatically in approximately 60 percent of infants and approximately three percent of healthy adults. It belongs to the Clostridium family of bacteria, which also includes C. tetani (tetanus) and C. botulinum (botulism). The C. difficile bacteria produce two potent toxins: A and B. When the natural microbial flora of the gut is disturbed, usually as a result of antibiotic treatment for other illnesses, and a patient is exposed to C. difficile spores, the bacteria can multiply and release the two toxins, which cause a broad range of gastrointestinal symptoms in humans known collectively as CDI.

Hospital-acquired infections caused by C. difficile are a considerable problem in many industrialized countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Europe. It is estimated that there are about 500,000 cases of CDI in the US alone[1], with annual costs to the healthcare system of $3.2 billion[2]. In the EU, assuming a population of about 460 million people, the healthcare costs of CDI are estimated to be around $4.4 billion per year.[3] Additional information is available at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UK Health Protection Agency C. difficile information pages[1],[4].

About sanofi-aventis

Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY). For more information, please visit: http://www.sanofi-aventis.com

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, provided more than 1.6 billion doses of vaccine in 2009, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: http://www.sanofipasteur.com or http://www.sanofipasteur.us

References:

1. CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/id_Cdiff.html

2. O'Brien et al, The Emerging Infectious Challenge of Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease in Massachusetts Hospitals: Clinical and Economic Consequences. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 2007; 28(11):1219-1227

3. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Emergence of Clostridium difficile-associated disease in North America and Europe, Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2006; 12 (Suppl. 6): 2-18

4. HPA: http://www.hpa.nhs.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1179744911867

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "plans" and similar expressions. Although sanofi-aventis' management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of sanofi-aventis, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such products candidates, the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by sanofi-aventis, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in sanofi-aventis' annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009. Other than as required by applicable law, sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.