Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
Announced Dec 19, 2022 and effective Jan 25, 2023 after Hart-Scott-Rodino clearance, Sanofi licensed Innate Pharma's B7-H3-targeted NK cell engager program (IPH62) from the ANKET platform, with options on up to two additional ANKET targets. Innate received EUR 25M (~$27M) upfront against up to EUR 1.35B (~$1.42B) in development, regulatory and commercial milestones plus royalties. The lead B7-H3 asset (IPH62) remains partnered and in preclinical development, with Sanofi to assume all development, manufacturing and commercialization upon candidate selection. The option/expansion component has since eroded: Sanofi exercised an option in Dec 2023 to license a second solid-tumor NKCE (IPH67) but terminated that license (notice Oct 9, 2024; effective Jan 7, 2025), returning IPH67 rights to Innate. As of Innate's FY2024 report Sanofi retained one further ANKET option. The deal thesis holds for the lead B7-H3 asset, but the multi-target platform-expansion upside that underpinned the headline milestone ceiling is materially reduced.