Sanofi-aventis announces new Vision Institute partnership

Sanofi-aventis is to conduct joint research into the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of ocular diseases with Europe's Vision Institute.

The company's ophthalmology division Fovea Pharmaceuticals is entering an alliance with one of the region's main eye disease research centres in order to allow both organisations to benefit from a wide pool of shared expertise.

Over the course of the three-year arrangement, Sanofi-aventis will have access to the Vision Institute's technological platforms to conduct studies into areas such as vascular biology, inflammation, gene therapy and regeneration of the optical nerve.

The drug manufacturer would then be granted exclusive commercial rights to any treatments developed via the collaboration, with royalties being paid to Vision Institute members such as the Pierre and Marie Curie University.

Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi-aventis, said: "This collaboration will encourage the sharing of technical expertise and know-how with the objective to deliver innovative therapies for people with visual impairment."

Last month, the company announced that its vaccines division Sanofi Pasteur is allying with the International Vaccine Institute on a new initiative to promote research into dengue fever treatments.