Sanofi and the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) have signed a research collaboration agreement to accelerate the discovery and development of novel compounds against tuberculosis (TB).
Under the agreement, Sanofi and TB Alliance will collaborate to further optimise and develop several novel compounds in Sanofi’s library that have demonstrated activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB. This includes in-depth research of lead compounds based upon identified chemical derivatives of natural products, which have promising potential to treat all forms of TB, and the chemical optimisation of other series of compounds that have been identified as hits through high-throughput screening.
Elias Zerhouni, MD, President, Global R&D, Sanofi, said, “Sanofi’s long-standing commitment to delivering treatments for people living with TB including the discovery of rifampicin, the gold-standard drug for TB treatment, as well as the manufacture of TB treatments – continues with this collaboration. By continuing our excellent partnership with the TB Alliance and leveraging our joint resources, we hope to find together new options to fight this dreaded global disease.”
“In working with Sanofi, we seek a common goal – to give patients and physicians significantly more effective treatments for TB and drug-resistant TB. Without new regimens, we cannot stop this global pandemic,” said Mel Spigelman, President and CEO, TB Alliance.
EP News Bureau