Sobi® is delighted to announce a simplification of the contractual economics for nirsevimab. Last January, the company completed the acquisition of Synagis® (palivizumab) from AstraZeneca in the US, giving them the right to the full share of US profits and losses for nirsevimab. Synagis is a medicine used to prevent a serious lung disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children. Nirsevimab has been approved in the EU and is currently under regulatory review in the US, to help prevent RSV lower respiratory tract disease in new-borns and infants.
New royalty agreement with Sanofi
Sobi has recently entered into a new royalty agreement with Sanofi to receive a quarterly payment on net sales of nirsevimab in the US. The agreement will begin with a 25% royalty rate at launch in 2023, followed by a tiered increase of 5-10% each year from 2025 to 2028 for a total range of 30-35%. This tiered structure will remain in place beyond 2028.
Sobi and Sanofi have just signed a new royalty agreement, with Sobi reimbursing Sanofi USD 66 million for prior research & development costs related to nirsevimab in the US. No further payments are owed.
Termination of participation agreement with AstraZeneca
Sobi and AstraZeneca have reached an agreement to terminate the participation agreement related to nirsevimab that was entered into at the end of 2018 and closed in January 2019. As part of the agreement, Sobi will pay AstraZeneca USD 15 million as an upfront final consideration and no longer be responsible for US development and commercialisation costs, future milestones, or royalties.
In exchange, Sobi will no longer have the right to AstraZeneca’s share of US profits and losses for nirsevimab. For more details on the agreement, check out Note 2, Revenue from profit-sharing arrangement and Note 4, Profit-sharing arrangement in Sobi’s Annual and Sustainability Report 2022.
Financial considerations
On 9 February 2023, Sobi provided an outlook for 2023 that excluded any rights to the full share of US profits and losses for nirsevimab – a significant omission from their report.
About Synagis
Synagis® (palivizumab) is an innovative RSV F protein inhibitor monoclonal antibody immunisation designed to protect infants and young children from serious lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV. This immunisation is specifically designed for high risk children and offers an effective way to protect them from the dangers of RSV.
About nirsevimab
Nirsevimab, formerly known as MEDI8897, is an innovative antibody developed and commercialised by AstraZeneca and Sanofi in a joint partnership. This revolutionary, single-dose, long-acting antibody is designed to protect infants entering or during their first RSV season and for children up to 24 months of age who are at risk of severe RSV disease through their second RSV season.
Sobi
Sobi is a revolutionary biopharmaceutical company that is changing the lives of those with rare and debilitating diseases around the world. With a team of 1,600 dedicated employees in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, Sobi is committed to providing sustainable access to innovative medicines in haematology, immunology and specialty care. In 2022, Sobi’s revenue amounted to SEK 18.8 billion and its shares (STO:SOBI) are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.