Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY) to acquire Vigil Neuroscience, Inc., adding a new investigational medicine to treat Alzheimer’s disease to the neurology pipeline
Paris, May 22, 2025. Sanofi announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. (“Vigil”), a publicly traded clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. This acquisition in neurology, one of Sanofi’s four strategic disease areas, enhances Sanofi’s early-stage pipeline and includes VG-3927, which will be evaluated in a phase 2 clinical study in Alzheimer’s disease. VG-3927 is an oral small molecule TREM2 agonist. Activating TREM2 is expected to enhance the neuroprotective function of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease.
Houman Ashrafian, MD, PhD, Head of Research and Development, Sanofi commented. “This acquisition is fully supporting Sanofi’s strategic focus on neurology and on advancing science and leveraging our expertise in immunology to solve areas of critical unmet need. TREM2 represents a compelling target at the intersection of immune dysregulation and neurodegeneration, particularly in people living with Alzheimer’s because they face devastating cognitive decline with limited treatment options. Vigil’s expertise is complementary to our capabilities in neurology and reinforces our dedication to developing innovative medicines to improve people’s lives. Vigil’s team are a welcome addition, and we look forward to working with them and the patient community.”
Ivana Magovčević-Liebisch, PhD, JD, President & Chief Executive Officer, Vigil stated about the merger. “We are incredibly proud of the extraordinary and diverse team at Vigil and the progress we have made in developing innovative TREM2-based therapeutics. We look forward to joining forces with Sanofi’s team to leverage Sanofi’s resources, broad platform and far-reaching network to fully unlock and accelerate the development of VG-3927 for the potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease – a devastating disease with significant unmet need.”
In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, microglial activation is dysregulated, leading to debris accumulation, chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration in the central nervous system. Activation of TREM2 has shown to promote the migration of microglial cells to sites of injury, enhance their capability for phagocytosis, proliferation, and survival. Consequently, this facilitates the prevention of neural degeneration that is frequently associated with adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases.
Currently approved therapies for Alzheimer’s disease do not stop or reverse the disease progression and there are stringent eligibility requirements for treatment. There is a critical need to develop more efficacious, safer, and convenient options for people living with Alzheimer’s disease.
In June 2024, Sanofi made a $40 million strategic investment in Vigil that included the exclusive right of first negotiation for an exclusive license, grant, or transfer of rights to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize VG-3927. This acquisition is a testament to Sanofi’s proactive approach in equity investments to secure greater optionality in addressing critical healthcare challenges. By strategically investing in promising ventures like Vigil, Sanofi demonstrates how its forward-looking strategies are translating into tangible advancements in the neurology pipeline and reinforcing a commitment to innovation.