Sanofi pays Denali $125M to buy into RIPK1 program

Sanofi is paying $125 million (€110 million) upfront for a stake in two RIPK1 inhibitors in development at Denali. The agreement covers small molecules designed to treat multiple neurodegenerative and systemic inflammatory diseases. Denali, a deep-pocketed CNS biotech staffed by Genentech veterans, picked up the RIK1 program in 2016 through the acquisition of Intro Pharmaceuticals. The Harvard-originated research effort gave rise to two molecules.
The most advanced of the molecules, phase 1 asset DNL747, penetrates the brain to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Denali thinks DNL747 may stop tissue damage and neuronal death by disrupting a pathway that drives production of cytokines and other proinflammatory factors. The other asset, DNL758, is a non-CNS-penetrating molecule that is still in preclinical development.