Sanofi and AstraZeneca agree exchange of chemical compounds

Sanofi and AstraZeneca are to exchange a wide range of chemical compounds in order to establish a novel and open collaboration model.

The companies have agreed a direct exchange of 210,000 compounds from their respective proprietary compound libraries, with no payments associated with the deal, nor any restrictions on how the compounds can be used.

This will enhance the chemical diversity of the compound collections of both companies, allowing both firms to screen a broader, more diverse range of chemicals when developing new small-molecule medicines.

Both companies selected the compounds to exchange based on differences from those previously existing in their own libraries.

Elias Zerhouni, president of global research and development at Sanofi, said: "We believe that this collaboration will increase our capacity to deliver innovative solutions that have the potential to add significant medical value and transform lives."

This comes after the firm agreed new collaborations with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and Hanmi Pharmaceutical earlier this month, both in the field of diabetes.