BioWorld International Correspondent

PARIS - LibraGen and Sanofi-Aventis Group signed a partnership giving Sanofi access to LibraGen's knowledge in microbial biodiversity with the aim of discovering new chemical structures derived from non-cultivable microorganisms.

The agreement provides for a pilot phase that, if successful, will lead to a long-term collaboration. Financial terms, which provide for LibraGen to receive milestones and royalties, were not disclosed.

LibraGen, of Toulouse, France, was created in 2001 and is developing bioprocesses based on bacterial diversity to enhance the drug development and production process. It uses functional genomics technologies combined with industrial know-how to exploit the genetic and chemical diversity of bacteria to develop and produce therapeutic compounds and chemicals.

The deal calls for LibraGen to transfer to Paris-based Sanofi-Aventis laboratory-extracted samples of existing non-cultivable microorganisms. Sanofi-Aventis will add those to its chemical library and thus access new compounds produced under a reproducible process using LibraGen technology. Depending on their biological activity, the compounds may be selected either for optimization of their chemical structure via synthesis so as to enhance their properties, or for direct pharmaceutical development.

LibraGen's biocatalyst discovery platform combines the use of its metagenomics technology META-DNA with the selection of accessible enzymes and cultivable microbes. It separates DNA fragments and incorporates them into cultivable host bacteria. Expression of that DNA in an adapted host expression system enables new natural compounds and enzymatic activities to be identified through primary activity screening.

The company is using the platform to develop bioprocesses for the production of therapeutic compounds and the discovery of new chemical scaffolds with cross-industry applications. It also identifies, validates and produces high value-added enzymes and molecules for industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and environmental applications.

LibraGen is pursuing a two-pronged business strategy entailing, on the one hand, the conclusion of fee-for-service contracts and research collaborations with third parties to generate short-term revenues, and on the other, an in-house drug discovery program focusing on infectious diseases and cancer.