Pharmaceutical giant Sanofiset to acquire vaccine biotech firm Vicebio in a deal potentially worth $1.6 billion.
Sanofi Acquires Vicebio in $1.6 Billion Deal
Sanofi, the French pharmaceutical giant, has completed the acquisition of Vicebio, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in vaccines for respiratory viruses, for $1.15 billion upfront, with up to $450 million in potential development and regulatory milestone payments.
Vicebio, founded by Medicxi using the Molecular Clamp technology from the University of Queensland, has developed best-in-class multivalent vaccines targeting leading causes of respiratory disease. The company's aim was to create a best-in-class vaccine against respiratory viruses, and its early-stage vaccine candidates for RSV and hMPV complement and diversify Sanofi's existing respiratory vaccines portfolio.
The acquisition adds Vicebio’s innovative second-generation "Molecular Clamp" technology to Sanofi’s vaccine platform. This technology stabilizes viral fusion proteins in their prefusion state, enhancing immune response and allowing stable vaccine storage at standard refrigerator temperatures (2–8 °C) without ultra-cold supply chain requirements.
Dr. Emmanuel Hanon, CEO of Vicebio, and Dr. Giovanni Mariggi, Chairman of Vicebio and a Partner at Medicxi, led the company in its mission to develop next-generation vaccines aimed at targeting multiple life-threatening respiratory viruses simultaneously. The Vicebio team's passion for this mission will now be supported by Sanofi's global clinical development capability.
The deal is part of Sanofi’s strategic shift to reinforce immunology and vaccine assets while reducing reliance on traditional therapeutic categories such as diabetes. The acquisition aligns with Sanofi’s broader strategy to diversify its pipeline and maintain competitive growth as key patents on existing products like Dupixent approach expiration.
Following the acquisition, Vicebio is fully integrated into Sanofi’s vaccine development efforts, with no reported regulatory or antitrust hurdles delaying the transaction. Sanofi is continuing to advance Vicebio’s respiratory vaccine programs alongside its other pipeline projects.
This strategic move broadens Sanofi's respiratory vaccine offerings by adding a non-mRNA vaccine option, thus increasing choices for physicians and patients. Goodwin Procter acted as legal counsel to Vicebio in the acquisition deal, and the Series B funding was also supported by Goldman Sachs, Avoro Ventures, venBio Partners, UniQuest, and Medicxi.
References:
[1] Sanofi Press Release. (2025, July). Sanofi to Acquire Vicebio, a Leading Biopharmaceutical Company Focused on Respiratory Viruses. Retrieved from www.sanofi.com
[2] Vicebio Press Release. (2024, September). Vicebio Raises Series B Funding Led by TCGX. Retrieved from www.vicebio.com
[3] BioPharma Dive. (2025, July). Sanofi to Acquire Vicebio for $1.6 Billion in Deal to Strengthen Vaccine Portfolio. Retrieved from www.biopharmadive.com
[4] Fierce Pharma. (2025, July). Sanofi's $1.6 Billion Bet on Vicebio: A Big Move to Boost Its Respiratory Vaccine Portfolio. Retrieved from www.fiercepharma.com
The acquisition of Vicebio, a biopharmaceutical company, by Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical giant, expands Sanofi's business in finance and technology, as the deal includes potential development and regulatory milestone payments, and adds Vicebio’s innovative second-generation "Molecular Clamp" technology to Sanofi’s vaccine platform, enhancing immune response and simplifying vaccine storage.
The strategic move by Sanofi, according to the reports, is part of their broader strategy to diversify their pipeline in the fields of finance, business, and technology, as they aim to increase competitive growth and reduce reliance on traditional therapeutic categories.
