PARIS - Immuno-Designed Molecules (IDM) has signed a co-development and licensing agreement with Sanofi-Synthilabo that gives it the right to use the protein interleukin-13 developed by the French pharmaceutical company. IDM plans to use the protein in the preparation of therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of certain cancers, including melanoma and prostate and colorectal cancer.

By associating IL-13 with certain white globules taken from the patient's blood using its patented VacCell cell processor, IDM is able to generate what it calls ''dendritophages'' (macrophage-dendritic cells), which form the basis of its therapeutic vaccines. These dendritophages are combined with tumor antigens and injected into the patient to stimulate an immune response against his own cancer.

The agreement with Sanofi-Synthilabo covers the Phase II and Phase III development of products arising from this collaboration, as well as their subsequent commercialization. IDM has obtained an international license for the development and marketing of therapeutic vaccines incorporating IL-13 outside Europe, while Sanofi-Synthilabo has an exclusive license for marketing its IL-13-based cellular vaccines in Europe. A specific license will be granted for each product retained by Sanofi-Synthilabo.

As part of this agreement, Sanofi-Synthilabo has acquired a 6.5 percent equity stake in IDM, which currently has five products in clinical development (one in Phase III and four in Phase II). Sanofi-Synthilabo's patent for IL-13 runs to 2012.