Sanofi announced a partnership with South Korea‑based ADEL, valuing the deal at up to $1.04 billion, including an $80 million upfront payment. The agreement gives Sanofi access to ADEL’s lead candidate, ADEL‑Y01, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets acetylated tau protein (acK280) and is currently in a global Phase 1 trial.
The collaboration is part of Sanofi’s broader strategy to strengthen its neurology pipeline after the May 2025 acquisition of Vigil Neuroscience, which added the TREM2 agonist VG‑3927 to its Alzheimer’s portfolio. By partnering with ADEL, Sanofi aims to diversify its Alzheimer’s assets and accelerate development timelines through ADEL’s proprietary platform.
ADEL‑Y01’s mechanism differs from existing amyloid‑targeting therapies by focusing on tau acetylation, a modification linked to neurodegeneration. Early clinical data suggest the antibody can reduce tau pathology in the brain, offering a potential disease‑modifying approach that could address unmet needs in Alzheimer’s treatment.
Sanofi’s global head of neurology, Erik Wallström, said the partnership “offers a promising, differentiated mechanism for addressing the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease.” ADEL CEO Yoon Seung‑yong highlighted the synergy, noting that combining ADEL’s science with Sanofi’s development and commercialization capabilities could accelerate delivery of a therapy to patients worldwide.
The deal also includes milestone payments and royalties that will provide ADEL with additional funding and commercial support, while Sanofi will receive a share of future revenues from any approved product. The partnership underscores Sanofi’s commitment to expanding its presence in high‑unmet‑need therapeutic areas and signals confidence in the tau‑targeting approach.
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