Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. announced that Sanofi will be transitioning its rights and obligations related to SAR445136, a zinc finger nuclease gene-edited cell therapy candidate in development by Sangamo and Sanofi for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD), back to Sangamo over the first half of 2022. The Companies are collaborating on an orderly transition, while Sangamo explores options to advance the program, including seeking a new collaboration partner. This transition follows Sanofi's termination for convenience of the Global Research, Development and Commercialization Collaboration and License Agreement (Collaboration Agreement) between the Companies to develop genomic medicines for hemoglobinopathies.

Sanofi has elected to transition the SCD program to Sangamo following a recent change in Sanofi's cell therapy strategy. Sanofi notified Sangamo of its termination for convenience on December 30, 2021. Sangamo expects the Phase 1/2 PRECIZN-1 study of SAR445136 to be completed as planned.

Sangamo expects that Sanofi will continue to pay the costs of the Phase 1/2 PRECIZN-1 study until the termination date of June 28, 2022, as contemplated by the Collaboration Agreement.