Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. It is a leading American biotechnology company that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for serious diseases. Founded in 1988, the company is renowned for its proprietary technology platforms and has brought transformative treatments to market in areas like ophthalmology, immunology, oncology, and cardiovascular disease. Its integrated approach to research and development and strategic collaborations with entities like Sanofi and Bayer have established it as a major force in the global pharmaceutical industry.

History

The company was co-founded in 1988 by Leonard S. Schleifer, a neurologist, and Nobel Prize-winning pharmacologist Alfred G. Gilman. Early research focused on neurotrophic factors, but a pivotal shift occurred with the recruitment of scientist George D. Yancopoulos, who helped pioneer the company's core VelocImmune technology. This platform, which generates fully human monoclonal antibodies, became the foundation for its success. A key early commercial achievement was the 2011 U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Eylea for wet age-related macular degeneration, a blockbuster drug developed in partnership with Bayer. The company's growth was further accelerated by the 2017 approval of Dupixent, developed with Sanofi, for atopic dermatitis.

Products and pipeline

Its commercial portfolio includes several flagship medicines. Eylea treats retinal diseases like wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. Dupixent is approved for conditions including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. In oncology, Libtayo treats cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer. The company also markets Praluent for hypercholesterolemia, Kevzara for rheumatoid arthritis, and Inmazeb for Ebola virus infection. Its robust clinical pipeline spans numerous therapeutic areas, with investigational candidates for diseases like Alzheimer's disease, COVID-19, and various cancers, utilizing next-generation platforms like Veloci-Bi and Veloci-T.

Research and development

Its research engine is driven by proprietary, in-house technology platforms designed to improve the efficiency of drug discovery. The cornerstone is the VelocImmune platform, which uses a genetically engineered mouse to produce optimized human antibodies. This has been augmented by the VelociSuite of technologies, including Veloci-Bi for bispecific antibodies and Veloci-T for cell therapies. The company maintains a highly integrated model where research, genetics research through the Regeneron Genetics Center, and clinical development teams work closely together. This approach has facilitated rapid response to global health threats, exemplified by the development of the REGEN-COV antibody cocktail for COVID-19 and its involvement in the National Institutes of Health's ACTIV trials.

Collaborations and partnerships

Strategic alliances have been fundamental to its growth and global reach. A long-standing partnership with Sanofi dates to 2003 and has co-developed major products like Dupixent, Praluent, and Kevzara, with Sanofi handling ex-U.S. commercialization. The collaboration with Bayer on Eylea covers commercialization outside the United States. The company also engages in research-focused partnerships, such as its multi-year collaboration with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals on RNA interference therapeutics. Its Regeneron Genetics Center partners with institutions like Geisinger Health System and the UK Biobank to conduct large-scale genetic sequencing studies to identify new drug targets.

Corporate affairs

The company is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, and is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol REGN. It is a component of the S&P 500 and NASDAQ-100 indices. Leadership has remained consistent, with co-founder Leonard S. Schleifer serving as Chief Executive Officer and George D. Yancopoulos as President and Chief Scientific Officer since the early 1990s. The company is also known for its prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search, a competition for high school students it has sponsored since 2016, originally founded by Society for Science & the Public. Its manufacturing operations include large-scale facilities in Rensselaer and Limerick, Ireland.

Category:Biotechnology companies of the United States Category:Companies listed on the NASDAQ Category:Pharmaceutical companies established in 1988