News Article

Listed global pharmaceutical company Sanofi has agreed to acquire infectious diseases vaccine specialist Dynavax Technologies for $2.2bn.

The transaction marks a strategic push to dominate the underpenetrated adult vaccination market and diversify beyond a flu-heavy portfolio. The deal, priced at a 39% premium over Dynavax’s closing price on December 23, 2025, brings Sanofi immediate access to HEPLISAV-B, the only two-dose adult hepatitis B vaccine approved in the U.S.

Complementing this, Dynavax’s phase 1/2 shingles candidate Z-1018 positions Sanofi to challenge global biopharmaceutical rival GSK’s Shingrix.

Sanofi’s global commercial infrastructure will amplify HEPLISAV-B’s reach, leveraging its differentiated one-month dosing regimen – a contrast to competitors’ six-month, three-dose protocols.

Thomas Triomphe, Sanofi’s Executive VP of Vaccines, emphasised that Dynavax’s assets “underscore our commitment to providing vaccine protection across the lifespan,” signalling a pivot toward long-term revenue diversification amid declining flu vaccine sales, which fell 8% to €3.4 billion in Q3 2025.

The deal cements Sanofi’s AI-driven immunisation strategy, integrating Dynavax’s pipeline with its R&D scale to address urgent market needs. With adult vaccination rates persistently lagging childhood immunisation, this acquisition positions Sanofi to capture near-term revenue while building a shingles franchise that could disrupt GSK’s dominance post-2030.