Sanofi targets ground-breaking therapies with a new R&D strategy

The "Play to Win" Strategy

Sanofi has stepped up its reliance on internal R&D, while aggressively supplementing in-house discoveries through external partnerships to strengthen its R&D pipelines.

According to Reed, Sanofi expects about two-thirds of its drug candidates come from its own lab, with the remaining candidates coming from external partners, who are pioneering new technologies and approaches for innovative therapies.

"We're changing the way we think about drug discovery and development by exploring biological pathways that impact multiple diseases to help us create medicines that can treat more people. Where previously we would have focused on a single disease, now we are learning about pathways that act as hubs, linking numerous diseases. When we can find a molecule that modifies these pathways, we can develop a particularly versatile medicine with the potential to become a 'pipeline in a product'. Dupixent is one of the examples."

"We're investing in pipeline development projects that we believe can really make a difference for patients and in new digital data systems and modern technology platforms."

Reed believes that these efforts will make Sanofi's R&D work more effective while leading to the delivery of the medicines of the future faster.

Additionally, Sanofi also aggressively supplements in-house discoveries for their growing pipeline through partnerships that access promising external innovation. Through strategic acquisitions, such as of Bioverativ, Ablynx, Principia Biopharma, Synthorx and others, Sanofi's R&D global organization has absorbed talents engaged in the areas of pharmaceutical drug discovery and clinical development, creating new synergies.

"We all share a passion for medical innovation to bolster our pipeline, which translates into immeasurable clinical benefits across the globe." Reed said that Sanofi will continue to look for acquisition deals that can bring incremental value or synergistic gains for the company's pipeline growth in the future.

Seizing opportunities with 'China Speed'

From Reed's own experience, Sanofi is making rapid progress led by a substantial transformation and modernization for its R&D, and is building momentum with the unique "China Opportunity".

As one of the first multinational pharmaceutical companies to have entered the Chinese market, Sanofi will celebrate its 40th anniversary in China this year. China is one of the most important strategic markets for Sanofi. The reform of the system of evaluation, review, and approval of drugs and medical devices has given the company significant opportunities to introduce innovative products and medical solutions to the Chinese market, especially in terms of a substantial reduction in the approval time.

Following the inclusion of multiple sclerosis in the First Catalogue of Rare Diseases, in 2018, Sanofi's Aubagio was launched in China within just 58 days from its NDA acceptance, which was the fastest launch of a rare disease drug in China that year.

In 2020, Dupixent, the world's first and only targeted biological agent for treating adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis was approved in China, needing a review period of only 25 days from NDA acceptance. Dupixent was then included into the National Drug Reimbursement List to reduce the financial burden of Chinese patients.

The realization of all these is a reflection of the "China Speed" brought by regulatory reform. Having taken root in China and committed to growing together with the Chinese market, Sanofi has no hesitations about investing in this open and innovative market for the long term.

"We will accelerate the introduction of innovative products, advance early research and engage in China's vigorous innovative eco-system building, through external cooperation," said Reed. "Sanofi will adopt a 'global to local' model to empower and focus locally on our capabilities, resources, and people."

To accelerate the introduction of advanced global innovative drugs into China, and to enhance Sanofi's early research capabilities in oncology, immunology and inflammation, the Sanofi Institute for Biomedical Research was established in Suzhou in 2021. The institute will foster the combining of Sanofi's global R&D capabilities with local R&D talents' insights into the Chinese disease landscape, with a focus on "0 to 1" innovation.

The institute will establish close ties with the local biopharmaceutical R&D ecosystem. Actively carrying out in-depth strategic cooperation with key universities, and tapping into areas of expertise of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leading pharmaceutical companies will help SIBR strengthen basic and original research. These efforts will also drive drug innovation into the "fast lane" and will help develop innovative products originating from China.

It is worth mentioning that since 2019, Sanofi has been systematically assessing the full inclusion of China in Sanofi's global development programs, resulting in more than 90 percent of the current programs being run in China. Reed believes that this will definitely increase the accessibility of innovative medicines to Chinese patients.