Having led $30bn of acquisitions of companies at Sanofi, the new challenge for its former global head of partnering is to help make Owkin, “the most disruptive AI biotech company in the world,” he tells Scrip.

With the virtual doors about to close on the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting, Scrip takes a look at some of the highlights, including data for Merck KGaA and Sanofi’s new BTK inhibitors and research showing the impact of MS therapies on COVID-19 vaccine response.

The Swiss group believes that remibrutinib, as well as its investigational IgE antibody ligelizumab, will complement standard of care Xolair and help it build a strong franchise for chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Analysts who felt Sanofi paid way over the odds when splashing out $3.7bn to buy Principia last year will be feeling justified in that stance after one of the oral BTK inhibitors acquired, rilzabrutinib, proved to be no more effective than placebo in a Phase III trial.