A UK-U.S. Linklaters team has advised Sanofi on its acquisition of Vicebio, a privately held biotechnology company.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi will acquire all of Vicebio’s share capital for a total upfront payment of $1.15 billion, with potential milestone payments of up to $450 million based on development and regulatory achievements. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.
The acquisition furthers Sanofi’s dedication to vaccine innovation with the potential to develop next-generation combination vaccines that could provide protection to older adults against multiple respiratory viruses with a single immunization. Sanofi’s global scale and deep expertise in vaccine development provide the ideal environment to fully realize the potential of Vicebio’s innovative technology.
The cross-border and multidisciplinary team was co-led by Corporate Partners Aisling Zarraga and Nicole Meyer (London) working closely with Sanofi’s internal legal team. They were supported by Antitrust & Foreign Investment Partners Tom McGrath (New York) and Jonathan Ford (London), IP Partner Yohan Liyanage (London), Commercial Partner Marly Didizian (London), Tax Partner Chris Smale (London), Employment & Incentives Partners Cara Hegarty and Nick Marshall (London), Corporate Managing Associate Eleanor Keighley Elstub (London) and a wider team of UK and U.S. Counsel, Managing Associates and Associates.
