Sanofi to Buy Amunix for $1 Billion to Boost Cancer Drug Pipeline

In a purchase aimed at broadening its portfolio of cancer therapies, Sanofi is acquiring San Francisco, Calif.-based Amunix Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion.

Under the deal, Sanofi will gain access to Amunix’s platform for discovering and developing T-cell engagers and cytokine therapies and to its lead candidate, AMX-818, a T-cell engager being developed for the treatment of multiple solid tumors.

Sanofi, which has roughly 20 cancer drugs in development, expects the deal to close early next year.

The acquisition comes at a time when Sanofi is trying to rebound from setbacks in its COVID-19 vaccine program. Although preliminary data from a late-stage study evaluating its experimental coronavirus shot co-developed with GlaxoSmithKline showed a strong immune response, the company recently announced that full trial results won’t be available until early 2022.