Sanofi Signs Up to $1.04 Billion Alzheimer’s Drug Development Deal with South Korea’s ADEL

Paris / Seoul — Dec. 15, 2025 — French pharmaceutical company Sanofi has entered into a strategic collaboration with South Korean biotech firm ADEL worth up to USD 1.04 billion to jointly develop an innovative antibody therapy for Alzheimer’s disease known as ADEL-Y01.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi will make an upfront payment of approximately USD 80 million to ADEL and will be responsible for milestone payments and future royalty obligations tied to the therapeutic’s success. ADEL-Y01 is a monoclonal antibody targeting acetylated tau protein, currently in early clinical stages in the United States. The therapy aims to slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer’s by reducing pathological tau aggregation and associated neuronal dysfunction.

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ADEL noted that Sanofi’s deep expertise in neuroscience drug development and global commercialization capabilities will accelerate the clinical advancement and worldwide availability of ADEL-Y01. Sanofi also emphasized that the deal is a key component of its broader strategy to address neurodegenerative diseases linked to global aging.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by memory loss, cognitive impairment, and eventual loss of independence. Despite extensive global research efforts, therapies that effectively alter disease progression remain elusive, maintaining high unmet medical needs in the field.

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Industry analysts say the sizable collaboration highlights not only the increased investment by major pharmaceutical players in Alzheimer’s R&D but also the rising attention on anti-tau antibody approaches, which complement existing strategies focusing on amyloid-β (Aβ). With continued clinical data accumulation, such therapies may offer promising new avenues for tackling a disease that affects millions worldwide.

Source: Reuters, South Korea’s ADEL signs up to USD 1.04 billion Alzheimer’s drug development deal with Sanofi, December 15, 2025.