Sanofi to pay $11.6bn for Bioverativ for haemophilia biz and commercial network

Bioverativ split from Biogen Inc. last year with the idea being that the new firm would focus on discovering, researching, developing and commercializing treatments for haemophilia and other blood disorders.

Bioverativ is responsible for selling Eloctate [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), Fc Fusion Protein] and Alprolix (eftrenonacog alfa) in a number of territories, under a deal with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi).

The drugs bought in $847m in sales and $41m in royalties for Bioverativ in 2016.

Bioverativ also has a pipeline of its own, which includes a Phase III agglutinin disease candidate and various compounds it is co-developing in the fields of sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.

Sanofi citied Bioverativ haemophilia drugs as a motivation for the deal, explaining that it believes factor replacement therapy will remain the standard of care in haemophilia.

However, the French drug manufacturer also plans to leverage Bioverativ’s clinical expertise and existing commercial platform to advance fitusiran, a candidate RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic it is developing for haemophilia A and B.

On January 7, Sanofi announced it had rejigged its partnership with RNAi developer Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Under the new agreement, Sanofi obtaining global development and commercialization rights to fitusiran.