Fighting Cancer: Orano Med and Sanofi Sign a New Agreement

Orano Med and Sanofi signed a new agreement in October 2024. A new entity will be dedicated to the discovery, design, and clinical development of a new generation of targeted internal radiotherapies using lead-212.

Orano Med, Orano’s subsidiary developing targeted alphatherapies in oncology, continues to expand. After starting the production of lead-212-based drugs in the United States in June 2024 and beginning the construction of a laboratory in France earlier this year, the subsidiary has signed an agreement with Sanofi, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. The partnership, signed on 17 October 2024, aims to accelerate the development of next-generation Radioligand Therapies, combining both companies’ expertise in the fight against rare cancers.

Greater Flexibility for Orano Med

This new agreement follows the previous announcement in September 2024 of an exclusive license agreement between Sanofi, Orano Med, and RadioMedix for the “AlphaMedix” project, a lead-212-based targeted alphatherapy with highly promising results. As a result, Sanofi has become responsible for the global commercialization of AlphaMedix, while Orano Med handles production through its expanding global industrial platform. Orano Med had already received an investment of €100 million from Sanofi.

Both companies are eager to go further with this new agreement signed in October 2024. “Sanofi’s investment will strengthen Orano Med and enable it to accelerate the development of its portfolio, leveraging its unique capabilities in lead-212 radiolabeled therapy discovery and development,” Sanofi’s statement explains. A completely new entity is being created with the signing of this new agreement, with Sanofi contributing an investment of €300 million toward the capital of the new entity, which has an estimated value of €1.9 billion. The statement also notes that, with the development of these new facilities, Orano Med “will ensure a reliable, large-scale, autonomous supply of lead-212-based medications for patients worldwide.”

Nicolas Maes, CEO of the Orano group, is pleased with this new milestone and the diversification potential of the Orano group in a wide range of activities related to nuclear science: “By applying our expertise in nuclear materials to fields like targeted alphatherapies, we demonstrate that nuclear technology can have a positive societal impact, not only on energy production and the climate but also on health. This innovation reflects Orano’s commitment to exploring new opportunities and boldly addressing the major challenges of our time.” ■