Sanofi inks $398M cancer R&D deal with Ascenta

Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) will pay up to $398 million for the rights to several of Ascenta Therapeutics' early-stage oral drug candidates. The French biotech will gain access to MI-773 and MI-519-64, Ascenta's two most advanced drug candidates, which are expected to begin preclinical development later this year. The early-stage targets are being investigated for their potential to restore tumor cell apoptosis, or programmed cell death. According to Ascenta's statement on the deal, the...