Sanofi and Evotec Sign Final Strategic Collaboration Agreement to Reinforce Biomedical Research in Toulouse

Paris, March 20, 2015 - Sanofi announced the signing of the final strategic collaboration agreement with Evotec for scientific activities at the Sanofi research and development site in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne). The agreement is expected to be effective as of March 31.

This agreement successfully concludes the exclusive discussions entered into by the two companies on December 2, 2014. It also follows the information-consultation procedure of employee representative institutions, finalised by Sanofi on March 10, 2015. This procedure has been supplemented with an agreement on supporting measures signed by three trade unions, CFE-CGC, CFTC and CFDT, resulting from a constructive social dialogue.

"I commend and thank our on-site team members for their hard work and commitment to this project, which is a major opportunity for the Toulouse site. I would also like to express my appreciation to all the stakeholders - elected officials, authorities, associations, members of the scientific community - whose invaluable support has made this project possible," said Elias Zerhouni, Sanofi Global R&D President.

 "At Evotec, we are looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues, who are fully involved in this project. We are also encouraged that Sanofi is a new client and one of the major   partner of Evotec," continued Werner Lanthaler, Evotec CEO.

This strategic collaboration aims to sustain a high level of scientific and technological activities, maintain jobs and attract new talent and projects to the site. It puts into practice the commitments undertaken by Sanofi as part of the development project presented in July 2012 for its biomedical research activities in Toulouse.

In particular, the agreement includes the divestiture to Evotec of the site's Research and Technological platform activities which match Evotec's areas of expertise as well as the continuation of these activities and the corresponding transfer of the employees currently involved in these activities.

For Sanofi, the strategic collaboration also involves a financial commitment of €250 million over a five-year period for the implementation of a multi-year research program including, among other projects, the creation of a support fund dedicated to developing scientific collaboration with academic partners in France.

Evotec has thus become the sixth Bioparc resident company to benefit from the services and scientific infrastructures which our Support platform offers to all start-ups, biotechnology companies and academic players seeking to settle in the heart of the Oncopole.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global 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, Consumer Healthcare, Emerging Markets, Animal Health and Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

About Evotec

Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Evotec operates worldwide providing the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery solutions, covering all activities from target to clinic. The company has established a unique position by assembling top-class scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas including neuroscience, pain and metabolic diseases, as well as oncology, inflammation and infectious diseases. Evotec has long-term discovery alliances with partners including Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, CHDI, Genentech, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, MedImmune/AstraZeneca, Roche and UCB. In addition, the company is involved in existing development partnerships and has therapeutic candidates in both clinical and pre-clinical development. These include partnerships with Boehringer Ingelheim and MedImmune in the field of diabetes, with Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the field of depression and with Roche in the field of Alzheimer's disease. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com.

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 labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the absence of guarantee that the product 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, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, the impact of cost containment policies and subsequent changes thereto, the average number of shares outstanding 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, 2014. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

 


Contacts:

Sanofi Relations Media

Flore Larger

Tel. : +33 (0) 1 53 77 46 46

[email protected]

 

Sanofi Investor Relations

Sébastien Martel

Tél: +33 (0)1 53 77 45 45

[email protected]

 

 

Evotec Press Relations

Gabriele Hansen

VP, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations 

Tel.: + 49(0)40.56081-255

E-mail: [email protected]