Genzyme, Voyager In Gene Therapy Pact

Genzyme, the rare disease arm of Sanofi, is paying Voyager Therapeutics $65 million up front as part of a pact to develop gene therapies for central nervous system disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, and Huntington’s disease. Genzyme, which gains an option to license multiple programs after proof-of-concept human studies, is also taking a stake worth $35 million in the Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech firm. Separately, Sanofi has eliminated about 100 R&D positions at its Boston research labs. The company calls the move a “natural evolution of its R&D organization.”