Baidu in partnership with Sanofi to use its algorithm in mRNA vaccine, therapy development

FILE PHOTO: People walk near a Baidu logo at the company headquarters in Beijing, China April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Florence Lo

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant Baidu Inc said on Monday it has licensed its algorithm for messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence to Sanofi SA for use in designing vaccine and therapeutic products, entering its first such commercial deal with a major global drugmaker.

Sanofi had been one of the world's biggest vaccine makers before the pandemic, but the French firm was beaten by rivals BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna in developing mRNA shots against COVID-19.