Benzinga | Jun 29, 2021 09:09AM EDT

Sanofi Invests To Build Internal Capabilities in mRNA

* Sanofi SA (NASDAQ:SNY) is working towards its R&D approach around mRNA to accelerate the development and delivery of next-generation vaccines.

* The company will invest approximately (euro)400 million per year to build out its "end-to-end" internal capabilities in mRNA, the cell therapy technology.

* Sanofi said the plan is to piece together a team of around 400, spread across R&D, digital, chemistry, manufacturing & controls to advance mRNA technology in non-pandemic indications.

* The team will be spread across two centers in Cambridge, MA, and Marcy l'Etoile, near Lyon, France.

* With this investment, Sanofi hopes to have six clinical candidates in the fold by 2025, which it calls the "expected minimum."

* Though it did not disclose the therapeutic areas it hoped to address, the company said its focus would be on "diseases of high unmet need."

* Price Action: SNY shares are down 1% at $52.69 during the premarket session on the last check Tuesday.