Sanofi-aventis strikes research deal

Research efforts

Leading drug maker sanofi-aventis have reportedly joined forces with France's National Alliance for Life Sciences and Healthcare (AVIESAN) in an effort to boost research in areas such as aging, infectious diseases and regenerative medicine.

According to a press release on the sanofi-aventis website, the partnership - which marks the first of its kind - is aimed at enhancing scientific knowledge in the areas of life sciences and healthcare, to contribute to the excellence and strength of French research. It is hoped that the partnership will encourage creativity and mutual teams, laboratories, technological platforms and even research centres for sanofi-aventis and AVIESAN could also be considered.

Investment

The French drug maker, who has also entered a corporate sponsorship agreement to provide an annual allowance that supports researchers who set up their labs in France, has pledged to invest as much as 50 million euros in these partnerships over the next five years.

In addition, the National Alliance includes the French Atomic Energy Commission, the National Centre for Scientific Research and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research, among other agencies, suggesting that there may be multiple possibilities for collaboration.

As many Big Pharma companies turn to partnerships or acquisitions in recent years to help manage research costs, sanofi seem to be making great waves.

According to the press statement released yesterday, "These agreements are part of the goal set by the Strategic Committee for Healthcare Industries (CSIS) to bolster funding for partnerships between manufacturers and academic research laboratories in order to encourage innovation in healthcare [...] We are very pleased to have entered into this partnership with the National Alliance for Life Sciences and Healthcare, which is a major breakthrough in terms of public-private partnerships in France."

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