Sanofi-Aventis Extends Research Pact with ImmunoGen

Sanofi-Aventis U.S. has exercised its right to extend the term of its research collaboration with ImmunoGen, Inc. and will now provide research support funding through August 31, 2008. Also, effective September 1, 2006, ImmunoGen will no longer be obligated to present new targets for antibody-based anticancer therapeutics to Sanofi-Aventis, enabling the company to use such targets in the development of its own proprietary products.

“We’re pleased that our relationship with Sanofi-Aventis will move to its next stage in an orderly and logical fashion and with the opportunity for significant return that this collaboration provides for ImmunoGen going forward,” commented Mitchel Sayare, ImmunoGen chairman and chief executive officer. “ImmunoGen will receive research support funding from Sanofi-Aventis through August 2008 and we’re also free to use new targets that we identify for our own product programs. We continue to be entitled to receive milestone payments, manufacturing payments and royalties for each compound in the collaboration and to have certain co-promotion rights. After August 2008, we’ll also have the potential for compensation from Sanofi-Aventis for each license they take to use our technology with antibodies to targets that weren’t part of our research collaboration.”

After August 2008, Sanofi-Aventis will need to license the right to use ImmunoGen’s maytansinoid TAP technology with antibodies to targets that were not part of the research collaboration. The two companies have agreed to negotiate a multi-target agreement to provide Sanofi-Aventis with access to ImmunoGen’s maytansinoid TAP technology for antibody targets.