Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART), Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL) and Sanofi have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to establish the SMART–SZBL–Sanofi Strategic Science and Innovation Alliance (SSSIA).

The launch of the alliance marks a new stage in collaboration among academia, research institutions and industry. By combining the partners’ strengths in scientific research, technology platforms, drug development and commercialization, SSSIA aims to create an open and efficient innovation ecosystem that accelerates the journey from basic discovery to clinical application.

The agreement was signed by Prof. Huan Tu, Vice President of SMART and Deputy Director of SZBL, on behalf of the two institutions, and Dr. Lei Tang, Head of Translational Medicine for Sanofi R&D China. The signing was witnessed by Prof. Nieng Yan, Founding President of SMART and Director of SZBL, and Ting Deng, Head of Regulatory Affairs and R&D for Sanofi Greater China.

The alliance will focus on the research and development of innovative therapies for inflammation and autoimmune diseases, with priority areas including rare diseases, neurology, oncology, transplantation, type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disorders.

Cooperation will be advanced through six interconnected pillars: translational research, clinical research, shared technology platforms, commercialization and industrial development, joint talent training, and support through incubators and accelerators. Together, these activities will help promising discoveries progress from the laboratory towards clinical validation and the market.

SMART and SZBL share a commitment to pursuing scientific discovery while addressing unmet clinical needs. Through the alliance, basic research will inform drug innovation, clinical needs will help shape scientific priorities, and Sanofi’s global expertise in drug development, clinical studies and commercialization will support the translation of early-stage projects into potential therapies.

For Sanofi, the partnership represents a further step in integrating its global R&D capabilities with China’s rapidly developing innovation ecosystem. For SMART and SZBL, it strengthens their connections with the international biopharmaceutical community and supports their broader goal of advancing research translation in the Greater Bay Area.

The establishment of SSSIA provides a long-term framework through which the three partners can pool expertise, platforms and resources. By accelerating innovation across the full research and development pathway, the alliance seeks to generate new therapeutic possibilities and ultimately benefit patients in China and around the world.