Galapagos and NovAliX have entered a strategic collaboration in which Galapagos’ research and discovery capabilities and exclusively related employees based in Romainville, France, will be transferred to NovAliX, a drug discovery-focused Contract Research Organisation.
The agreement follows Galapagos’ renewed focus on its key therapeutic areas of oncology and immunology, and the strategic reorientation of the company into a fit-for-purpose research and development (R&D) organisation which aims to accelerate innovation, reduce risks and shorten drug development timelines.
The agreement
Under the terms of the agreement, NovAliX will acquire Galapagos’ drug discovery and research activities conducted in Romainville, France. As a result of the acquisition, Galapagos’ employees in Romainville who are exclusively dedicated to the operation of these activities will be transferred to NovAliX who is dedicated to assuming all ongoing research and discovery activities in Romainville.
In return, Galapagos is committed to utilising the research capabilities and expertise of NovAliX through a five year-collaboration and within the context of the company’s R&D portfolio.
The financial impact is included in Galapagos’ previously announced 2023 cash burn guidance in the range of €380-420 million.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is anticipated to close in July 2023.
Official comments
“Last year, we announced our ‘Forward, Faster’ strategy, and the strategic reorientation of our company into a fit-for-purpose R&D organisation. In light of our renewed focus and our goal to safeguard the continued employment of our colleagues at our research site in Romainville, we are extremely pleased that we have come to an agreement with NovAliX,” commented Paul Stoffels, CEO and Chairman of Galapagos.
“The acquisition of Galapagos’ drug discovery and research activities in Romainville, including its highly skilled team, is the perfect fit for NovAliX in order to complement our DNA-Encoded-Libraries database and cryo-EM driven discovery engine. It positions us as a key player in the field, offering the full scope of drug discovery capabilities and innovative technologies in kidney diseases, fibrosis and immunology, complementing our existing expertise in oncology and infectious diseases,” said Stephan Jenn, President of NovAliX.
He continued: “This further demonstrates that we are executing on our growth strategy and our ambition to expand our service offering beyond early research. It highlights the evolution that is taking place in our sector, with the emergence of new partnership models between CROs and the biopharmaceutical industry to accelerate therapeutic innovation. We look forward to our long-term collaboration and to welcoming the Galapagos’ teams.”
