French drug manufacturer Sanofi announced on Monday that it has entered into a partnership with biotech companies Evotec of Germany and Apeiron Biologics of Austria to discover and produce new immunotherapies that can treat solid tumors and hematological forms of cancers.

The drug maker said that the team up with the two companies would center on developing new immuno-oncology treatments based on small molecules that could be used to complement existing inhibitors that are already available.

Sanofi vice-president and cancer research chief Victoria Richon said that immuno-oncology has become a promising field in the creation of curative treatments for patients who suffer from cancer.

She said that the partnership with Apeiron Biologics and Evotec will help significantly advanced their common goal of developing the full potential of treatments based on small molecules.

According to the new agreement, Sanofi reserves the option to screen its own libraries of compounds to discover small-molecule candidates to further develop.

The drug maker will provide two years' worth of research funding for Apeiron Biologics and Evotec, as well as pay the German biotech company over 200 million euros, or $219 million, for potentially promising molecules.

"We are pleased and proud that our joint efforts in immuno-oncology with Apeiron have led to this partnership with Sanofi," Evotec CEO Dr. Werner Lanthaler said.

"The collaboration is a great example of an efficient translation from early-stage research to pharma development."

Apeiron Biologics CEO Dr. Hans Loibner views the recognition of their work by Sanofi, one of the leading biopharmaceutical firms in the world, as encouraging.

He said that they are looking forward to using their resources and skills to help develop the treatment concept of immuno-oncology to benefit cancer patients.

Sanofi added that it would have sole responsibility regarding the development and regulatory of the products. The company would also handle the manufacturing and commercial activities of immunotherapies developed through the partnership.

Last week, the French drug company reported that it will team up with Evotec to produce new diabetes treatments based on stem cell research.

It will also continue its long-time partnership with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in the field of immunotherapies for cancer.

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