$37.6 million BARDA contract for Sanofi to supply Leukine

The USA’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the US Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) a $37.6 million contract to supply and manage inventory for Leukine (sargramostim), for potential public health emergencies.

The French pharma major’s Sanofi Genzyme unit is developing Leukine for the treatment of acute radiation syndrome, a serious illness that occurs in people exposed to high doses of radiation. The condition involves injuries to the body’s organs, including the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs, and can cause neutropenia, an abnormally low level of white blood cells that fight infection called neutrophils.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the cause of death in most cases of acute radiation syndrome is the destruction of the person's bone marrow,” said Richard Peters, Sanofi Genzyme’s global head of rare diseases. “We are pleased to be able to partner with BARDA to support public health.”