Sanofi S.A. is a French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, France. The corporation was established in 1973 and merged with Synthélabo in 1999 to form Sanofi-Synthélabo. In 2004, Sanofi-Synthélabo merged with Aventis and renamed to Sanofi-Aventis, which were each the product of several previous mergers. It changed its name back to Sanofi in May 2011. The company trades as "SAN" on

Euronext Paris Euronext Paris, formerly known as the Paris Bourse (), is a regulated securities trading venue in France. It is Europe's second largest stock exchange by market capitalization, behind the London Stock Exchange, as of December 2023. As of 2022, th ...

and "SNY" on

Nasdaq The Nasdaq Stock Market (; National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the U.S. by volume, and ranked second on the list ...

in the United States, and is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50

stock market index In finance, a stock index, or stock market index, is an Index (economics), index that measures the performance of a stock market, or of a subset of a stock market. It helps investors compare current stock price levels with past prices to calcul ...

. In 2023, the company’s seat in

Forbes Global 2000 The ''Forbes'' Global 2000 is an annual ranking of the top 2000 public companies in the world, published by: sales, profit, assets and market value. The list has been published annually since 2003. By country Forbes Global 2000 as of 2023: ...

was 89. Sanofi engages in the

research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in some countries as OKB, experiment and design, is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products. R&D constitutes the first stage ...

, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmacological products, principally in the prescription market, but the firm also develops over-the-counter medications. The corporation covers seven major therapeutic areas:

cardiovascular In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart a ...

central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain, spinal cord and retina. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity o ...

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

internal medicine Internal medicine, also known as general medicine in Commonwealth nations, is a medical specialty for medical doctors focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in adults. Its namesake stems from "treatment of diseases of ...

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...

thrombosis Thrombosis () is the formation of a Thrombus, blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel (a vein or an artery) is injured, the body uses platelets (thrombocytes) and fib ...

, and

vaccine A vaccine is a biological Dosage form, preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease, infectious or cancer, malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verifi ...

s. It is the world's largest producer of vaccines through its subsidiary

Sanofi Pasteur Sanofi Pasteur is the vaccines division of the French multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company in the world devoted entirely to vaccines. It is one of four global producers of the yellow fever vaccin ...

History

Sanofi-Synthélabo

Sanofi was founded on 15 February 1973 as a subsidiary of

Elf Aquitaine Elf Aquitaine is a French brand of oils and other motor products (such as brake fluids) for automobiles and trucks. Elf is a former petroleum company which merged with TotalFina to form "TotalFinaElf". The new company changed its name to Total ...

(a French oil company subsequently acquired by Total), when Elf Aquitaine took control of the Labaz group, a pharmaceutical company formed in 1947 by Sociéte Belge de l'Azote et des Produits Chimiques du Marly; Labaz developed benziodarone in 1957. In 1993, Sanofi made a move into the Eastern Europe market by acquiring a controlling interest in Chinoin, a Hungarian drug company whose 1992, sales totaled about US$104 million.Staff, The Pharma Letter. Sept 20, 199
Sanofi Extends Holding in Chinoin
/ref> In the same year, Sanofi made its first significant venture into the US, and strengthened its presence in Eastern Europe, by first partnering with Sterling Winthrop and then acquiring the prescription pharmaceuticals business in 1994. Sanofi was incorporated under the laws of France in 1994, as a ''société anonyme'', a form of limited liability company.Sanofi-Synthélab
Form 20F for the Fiscal Year ended 31 December 2002
/ref> Synthélabo was founded in 1970, through the merger of two French pharmaceutical laboratories, Laboratoires Dausse (founded in 1834)б and Laboratoires Robert & Carrière (founded in 1899). In 1973, the French cosmetics group L'Oréal acquired the majority of its share capital. In 1991, Synthelabo acquired Laboratories Delalande and Laboratoires Delagrange, and through this deal picked up the product

metoclopramide Metoclopramide is a medication used to treat nausea, vomiting, gastroparesis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is also used to treat migraine headaches. Common side effects include feeling tired, diarrhea, akathisia, and tardive dyski ...

Sanofi-Synthélabo was formed in 1999 when Sanofi merged with Synthélabo; at the time of the merger, Sanofi was the second largest pharmaceutical group in France in terms of sales and Synthélabo was the third largest. The merged company was based in Paris, France. The merged companies focused on pharmaceuticals, divesting several businesses soon after the merger, including beauty, diagnostics, animal health and nutrition, custom chemicals, and two medical equipment businesses.

Aventis

Aventis was formed in 1999, when the French company Rhône-Poulenc S.A. merged with the German corporation Hoechst Marion Roussel, which itself was formed from the 1995 merger of

Hoechst AG Hoechst AG () was a German chemicals, later life sciences, company that became Aventis Deutschland after its merger with France's Rhône-Poulenc S.A. in 1999. With the new company's 2004 merger with Sanofi-Synthélabo, it became a subsidiar ...

with Cassella, Roussel Uclaf, and Marion Merrell Dow.

, the majority partner at the time in Hoechst Marion Roussel, was itself a merger of two of the three forcibly separated subsidiaries of

IG Farben I. G. Farbenindustrie AG, commonly known as IG Farben, was a German Chemical industry, chemical and Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical conglomerate (company), conglomerate. It was formed on December 2, 1925 from a merger of six chemical co ...

, exploiter of Auschwitz slave labor and supplier of Zyklon B during

The Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. The merged company was based in Schiltigheim, near

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

, France.Aventi
Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2002
/ref>Arturo Bris and Christos Cabolis
Corporate Governance Convergence Through Cross-Border Mergers The Case of Aventis
Chapter 4 i

Eds Greg N. Gregoriou, Luc Renneboog. Academic Press, 26 July 2007Lawton Robert Burns
The Business of Healthcare Innovation
Cambridge University Press, 26 July 2012 At the time of the merger, Rhône-Poulenc's business included the pharmaceutical businesses Rorer, Centeon (blood products), and Pasteur Merieux (vaccines), the plant and animal health businesses Rhône-Poulenc Agro, Rhône-Poulenc Animal Nutrition, and

Merial Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is a Multinational corporation, multinational animal health company, formed in January 2017 when Merial was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim and merged with Boehringer Ingelheim's existing animal health assets. ...

, and a 67 percent share in Rhodia, a speciality chemicals company. Hoechst, one of the companies that resulted from the post-WWII split of

, had seven primary businesses: Hoechst Marion Roussel (pharmaceuticals), AgrEvo (a joint venture with Schering in crop protection agents and pest control products), HR Vet (veterinary products), Dade Behring (diagnostics), Centeon, Celanese (chemicals), and Messer (chemicals). Merieux has been in the business of selling blood products, and in the 1980s, during the

AIDS epidemic The global pandemic of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in 1981, and is an ongoing worldwide public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2023, HIV/AIDS ...

, Merieux and other companies were involved in scandals related to HIV- contaminated haemophilia blood products that were sold to developing nations. In 2000, Aventis and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, a US biotechnology company formed to discover new drugs based on the then-new science of

genomics Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of molecular biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, ...

, announced that Aventis would make a $250M investment in Millennium and would pay $200M to Millennium in research fees over five years, one of the largest such deals between a big pharmaceutical company and a biotech company at the time. In late 2000, in the midst of the recall of Starlink, its genetically modified maize product, Aventis announced that it had determined to sell off Aventis Cropscience, the seed and pesticide business unit it had created from the agriculture businesses of its predecessors. In October 2001,

Bayer Bayer AG (English: , commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and biomedical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer' ...

and Aventis announced that Bayer would acquire the unit for about $6.6 billion; the unit became Bayer CropScience, making Bayer the world's second-largest agrochemical company behind

Syngenta Syngenta Global AG is a global agricultural technology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. It primarily covers crop protection and seeds for farmers. Syngenta is part of the Syngenta Group, entirely owned by Sinochem, a Chinese state ...

. In 2003, Aventis entered into a collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a New York biotechnology company, to develop Regeneron's VEGF-inhibiting drug, aflibercept, which was then in Phase I clinical trials. Aventis invested $45 million in Regeneron and made an upfront payment of $80 million in cash. Regeneron partnered the use of the drug with Bayer Healthcare in the field of proliferative eye diseases, and under the name Eylea it was approved by the US

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) in 2011; after several setbacks in clinical trials, Regeneron and Sanofi got the drug approved for metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with other agents, under the brand name Zaltrap in 2012.

Sanofi-Aventis merger

Sanofi-Aventis was formed in 2004, when Sanofi-Synthélabo acquired Aventis. In early 2004, Sanofi-Synthélabo made a

hostile takeover In business, a takeover is the purchase of one company (law), company (the ''target'') by another (the ''acquirer'' or ''bidder''). In the UK, the term refers to the acquisition of a public company whose shares are publicly listed, in contrast t ...

bid for Aventis worth €47.8 billion. Initially, Aventis rejected the bid because it felt that the bid offered inferior value based on the company's share value, and the board of Aventis went so far as to enact poison pill provisions and to invite

Novartis Novartis AG is a Swiss multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical company, pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and was the eighth largest by re ...

to enter merger negotiations. The three-month takeover battle concluded when Sanofi-Synthélabo launched a friendly bid of €54.5 billion in place of the previously rejected hostile bid. The French government played a strong role, desiring what it called a "local solution", by putting heavy pressure on Sanofi-Synthélabo to raise its bid for Aventis and for Aventis to accept the offer and by rejecting Aventis's poison pill proposal. One of the largest risks in the deal for both sides was the fate of the patents protecting

Clopidogrel Clopidogrel, sold under the brand name Plavix among others, is an antiplatelet drug, antiplatelet medication used to reduce the risk of Cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke in those at high risk. It is also used together with aspi ...

(Plavix), which was one of the top-selling drugs in the world at the time and the major source of Sanofi's revenue.

Post-merger activities

In 2006, Iraqis infected with HIV sued Sanofi and Baxter over HIV- contaminated haemophilia blood products sold by Merieux in the 1980s. In 2006, the US patents on

clopidogrel Clopidogrel, sold under the brand name Plavix among others, is an antiplatelet drug, antiplatelet medication used to reduce the risk of Cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke in those at high risk. It is also used together with aspi ...

(Plavix) were challenged when a Canadian generics company, Apotex, filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application under the Hatch-Waxman Act, received FDA approval, and started marketing a generic formulation of clopidogrel. While Sanofi-Aventis and its partner in the drug,

Bristol Myers Squibb The Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Trade name, doing business as Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), is an American multinational pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, BMS is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies ...

(BMS), were able to get an injunction to stop Apotex from selling it, the case became complicated when settlement negotiations fell apart twice – the second time because of an oral agreement made by BMS CEO Peter Dolan that BMS failed to disclose to the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...

during the review of the settlement agreement to ensure that it did not violate

antitrust Competition law is the field of law that promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. Competition law is implemented through public and private enforcement. It is also known as antitrust l ...

law. When Apotex disclosed the oral agreement to the FTC, the FTC launched an investigation that led to Dolan's dismissal by BMS. Apotex finally lost on the patent litigation issues after its third appeal was decided in favor of BMS/Sanofi in November 2011; Apotex had to pay ~$442 million in damages and ~$108 million in interest for infringing the patent, which it paid in full by February 2012. Apotex also sued BMS and Sanofi for $3.4 billion for allegedly breaching the settlement agreement; Apotex lost a jury trial in March 2013. In 2007, Sanofi-Aventis expanded on Aventis's prior relationship with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; in the new deal Sanofi-Aventis agreed to pay Regeneron $100 million per year for five years, under which Regeneron would use its

monoclonal antibody A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a cell lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell. Monoclonal antibodie ...

discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...

platform to create new biopharmaceuticals, to which Sanofi-Aventis gained the exclusive right to co-develop. In 2009, the companies expanded the deal to $160 million per year and extended it to 2017.Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. 11 November 200
Sanofi-Aventis Commits Over $2.8B to Regeneron in mAb Discovery Alliance
/ref> , the collaboration had four antibodies in clinical development and had filed an IND for a fifth. Two were against undisclosed targets, one targeted the interleukin-6

receptor Receptor may refer to: * Sensory receptor, in physiology, any neurite structure that, on receiving environmental stimuli, produces an informative nerve impulse *Receptor (biochemistry), in biochemistry, a protein molecule that receives and respond ...

as a treatment for

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

, another targeted

nerve growth factor Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide primarily involved in the regulation of growth, maintenance, proliferation, and survival of certain target neurons. It is perhaps the prototypical growth factor, in that it was ...

for the treatment of pain, and another targeted delta-like ligand 4 as a cancer treatment. Between 2008, when Chris Viehbacher was hired as CEO, and 2010, the company spent more than $17 billion in mergers and acquisitions to strengthen its consumer healthcare and generics platforms, especially in emerging markets, in the face of looming

patent cliff The term patent cliff refers to the phenomenon of patent expiration dates and an abrupt drop in sales that follows for a group of products capturing a high percentage of a market. Usually, these phenomena are noticed when they affect ''blockbuster ...

s and the growth of the consumer healthcare segment. In September, Zentiva was acquired for €1.8 billion, expanding the group's presence in eastern European markets. In 2009, Medley Farma, the third largest pharmaceutical company in Brazil and a leading generics company there, was acquired for about $635 million.Leigh Kamping-Carder for Law360. 20 May 201
Brazil Clears Sanofi's $635M Medley Pharma Buy
/ref> Sanofi outbid

Teva Pharmaceuticals Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (also known as Teva Pharmaceuticals) is an Israeli multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical company. Teva specializes primarily in generic drugs, but other business interests include branded-drug ...

. The deal was approved by Brazil's antitrust authorities in May 2010. Later that year, Indian vaccine manufacturer

Shantha Biotechnics Shantha Biotechnics Limited is an Indian biotechnology company headquartered in Hyderabad, India. It is the first Indian company to develop, manufacture and market Recombinant DNA, recombinant human healthcare products in India. The company is a ...

was acquired for $784 million. In October Sanofi-Aventis announced that it would lay off about 1700 US employees (about 25% of its US workforce) because of restructuring triggered by growing generic competition and other factors, and that the company would focus its US operations on diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and oncology. In 2010, US consumer healthcare company Chattem, Inc. was acquired for around $1.9 billion. In the same year, Nepentes Pharma was acquired for $130 million and BMP Sunstone Corporation for $520.6 million.

Name change, acquisitions and investments

The company dropped the -Aventis suffix of its name on May 6, 2011, after receiving approval at its

annual general meeting An annual general meeting (AGM, also known as the annual meeting) is a meeting of the general membership of an organization. These organizations include membership associations and companies with shareholders. These meetings may be required ...

. The reason given by the company for the change was to make its name easier to pronounce in countries such as China. In 2011,

Genzyme Corporation Genzyme (also known as Genzyme Transgenics Corp or GTC Biotherapeutics) was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From its acquisition in 2011 to 2022 Genzyme operated as a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi. In 2010, ...

was acquired for around $20.1 billion. This biotechnology company, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializes in the treatment of orphan diseases, renal diseases, endocrinology, oncology, and biosurgery. In January 2012, Sanofi co-invested in the $125 million Series A financing of Warp Drive Bio. Sanofi sought support for its internal cancer research program and also took on an obligation to acquire Warp Drive if certain milestones were met. In January 2014, Genzyme and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a US biotechnology company developing RNAi therapeutics, announced that Genyzme would invest $700 million in Alnylam. Under the deal, Genzyme obtained further rights to patisiran, an RNAi treatment for

transthyretin Transthyretin (TTR or TBPA) is a transport protein in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid that transports the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) and retinol to the liver. This is how transthyretin gained its name: ''transports thyroxine and retinol' ...

-mediated

amyloidosis Amyloidosis is a group of diseases in which abnormal proteins, known as amyloid fibrils, build up in tissue. There are several non-specific and vague signs and symptoms associated with amyloidosis. These include fatigue, peripheral edema, weigh ...

– a condition that can result in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy and familial amyloidotic cardiomyopathy and obtained rights to other compounds in Alnylam's pipeline. In March 2014, Sanofi joined the bidding for Merck & Co.'s over-the-counter health-products unit, the maker of Coppertone sunblock and the antihistamine Claritin; bids were expected to range between $10 billion and $12 billion. In October 2014, Sanofi's directors fired US-resident chief executive Chris Viehbacher, blaming his alleged lack of communication with the board and poor execution of his strategy. Board chairperson Serge Weinberg took over as interim CEO until 2 April 2015 when Bayer Healthcare board chairman Olivier Brandicourt (appointed by Sanofi on 19 February 2015) took over. Before Brandicourt even started his new job, French government ministers Stéphane Le Foll and Ségolène Royal attacked the $4.5 million

golden handshake A golden handshake is a clause in an executive employment contract that provides the executive with a significant severance package in the case that the executive loses their job through firing, restructuring, or even scheduled retirement. Thi ...

he was getting from Sanofi – and his pay of about $4.7 million a year. Furthermore, in 2014, the business took a 66% stake in Globalpharma, a Dubai-based generics manufacturer. In July 2015,

Genzyme Genzyme (also known as Genzyme Transgenics Corp or GTC Biotherapeutics) was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From its acquisition in 2011 to 2022 Genzyme operated as a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi. In 2010, ...

announced that it would acquire the cancer drug Caprelsa ( vandetanib) from

AstraZeneca AstraZeneca plc () (AZ) is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with its headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, UK. It has a portfolio of products for major diseases in areas includi ...

for up to $300 million. In the same month, the company announced a new global collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to discover, develop, and commercialize new immuno-oncology drugs, which could generate more than $2 billion for Regeneron, with $640 million upfront, $750 million for proof of concept data, and $650 million from the development of REGN2810. In June 2016, the company announced that it had struck an asset-swap deal with

Boehringer Ingelheim C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. is the parent company of the Boehringer Ingelheim group, which was founded in 1885 by Albert Boehringer (1861–1939) in Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany. As of 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's List of la ...

. Sanofi would sell its

animal health division (valuing it at €11.4 billion), while acquiring Boehringer's consumer health division (valuing it at €6.7 billion) and €4.7 billion in cash. The deal meant that Sanofi was now one of the global consumer healthcare leaders by market share. In July 2017, the company announced its intention to acquire Protein Sciences, a privately held Connecticut-based vaccines biotechnology company, for $650 million and with up to $100 million in milestone achievements. In January 2018, Sanofi announced that it would acquire

Bioverativ Bioverativ Inc. is an American multinational biotechnology company that specializes in the discovery, development, and delivery of therapies for the treatment of haemophilia. Bioverativ competes with Baxalta (acquired by Shire Plc in 2016), P ...

for $11.6 billion and days later announced that it would acquire

Ablynx Ablynx is a subsidiary of biopharmaceutical company Sanofi engaged in the discovery and development of nanobodies, based in Science Park Zwijnaarde, Ghent. History In November 2001, Ablynx was established as a spin-off of the Vlaams Instituut ...

for €3.9 billion ($4.8 billion). In December 2019, the company announced that it would acquire Synthorx for $2.5 billion ($68 per share), adding the lead product candidate THOR-707 (SAR444245), a form of interleukin-2 (IL-2) being developed for use against multiple solid tumors. In October 2022, Sanofi announced that it had stopped Phase 2 studies of THOR-707 (SAR444245) because the drug's efficacy “was lower than projected”. Sanofi would take a roughly $1.6 billion impairment charge because of delays to the program. In May 2020, Regeneron announced that it would repurchase around $5 billion of its shares held directly by Sanofi. Before the transaction, Sanofi had held 23.2 million Regeneron shares. In June, the company announced that it had agreed a potential $2 billion deal with Translate Bio, expanding an already existing collaboration for COVID-19 treatments. The company agreed to produce 60 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine for the United Kingdom government in July 2020. It used recombinant protein-based technology for Sanofi's flu vaccine along with GSK's pandemic technology and was seeking regulatory approval by the first half of 2021. Sanofi also agreed to a $2.1 billion deal with the United States for 100 million doses. In August, Sanofi announced that it would acquire Principia Biopharma for $3.7 billion, acquiring its BTK inhibitor program. The acquisition was completed in September 2020. In November, Sanofi announced that it would acquire Kiadis Pharma for €308 million (around $359 million, or €5.45 per share), expanding its immuno-oncology pipeline with the acquisition of Kiadis's three clinical compounds: K-NK002 in Phase II trials for

hematopoietic stem cell Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the stem cells that give rise to other blood cells. This process is called haematopoiesis. In vertebrates, the first definitive HSCs arise from the ventral endothelial wall of the embryonic aorta within the ...

transplants in blood cancer, K-NK003 for relapsed or refractory

acute myeloid leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal cells that build up in the bone marrow and blood and interfere with haematopoiesis, normal blood cell production. Sympt ...

, and K-NK-ID101 for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

. In January 2021, Sanofi announced that it would buy the British biotech Kymab Ltd and its potential first-in-class drug candidate – KY1005 –- for $1.45 billion. In April, the business announced that it would acquire Tidal Therapeutics for up to $470m. in August the company announced that it would acquire Translate Bio and its mRNA vaccine technology for $3.2 billion. On 8 September 2021, Sanofi announced that it would acquire US biotech company Kadmon Corporation for $1.9 billion On 18 November 2021, it was reported that Sanofi would be investing $180 million in French startup Owkin, whose predictive algorithms aim to improve the research and development of new cures against cancer. In December, the company announced that it would acquire Origimm Biotechnology GmbH and its acne vaccine candidate (ORI-001), as well as Amunix Pharmaceuticals, for an initial $1 billion plus potentially $200 million in additional milestones. In April 2022, Sanofi broke ground on its biggest industrial investment, a $638m vaccine and enzymes production facility in Tuas,

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

, targeted for completion in 2025. In March 2023, the company announced it would acquire Provention Bio and its type 1 diabetes therapy pipeline. In the fall of 2023, Sanofi announced plans to separate the OTC and focus on its key prescription production, increasing investment and reducing costs. The most likely way to separate a non-prescription division (about 11,000 employees, 2023 revenue — over $4 billion) is to create a public company headquartered in France. The division is planned for the fourth quarter of 2024. In December 2023, the company has signed a 140 million dollars partnership with Aqemia, a company that solves a mathematical equation that eliminates the need for heavy computing facilities with large computing power. In January 2024, Sanofi announced that it had agreed to buy a U.S. biotech firm Inhibrx for up to $2.2 billion, with a focus on obtaining Inhibrx's INBRX-101, an experimental treatment for

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD or AATD) is a genetic disorder that may result in lung disease or liver disease. Onset of lung problems is typically between 20 and 50 years of age. This may result in shortness of breath, wheezing, or an inc ...

(AATD), an inherited rare disease that causes progressive deterioration of the lung tissue. The post-acquisition company now employs more than 90,000 employees in 90 countries. In October 2024, Sanofi and CD&R entered exclusive negotiations to transfer a 50% controlling stake in Opella with Sanofi to remain a significant shareholder. In May 2025, Sanofi announced the buyout of Vigil Neuroscience for $470 million.

Company financials

Note. In 2001–2004: Sanofi-Synthélabo; in 2004–2011: Sanofi-Aventis.

Acquisition history

*Sanofi **Sanofi–Aventis *** Aventis (Merged 2004) **** Rhône-Poulenc (Merged 1999) ***** A. Nattermann (Acq 1986) ***** William H. Rorer, Inc. (Merged 1990) *****Centeon *****Pasteur Merieux *****Rhône-Poulenc Agro *****Rhône-Poulenc Animal Nutrition *****Merial (Sold to

2016) ***** Rhodia **** Hoechst Marion Roussel (Merged 1999) ***** AgrEvo *****HR Vet ***** Dade Behring *****Centeon ***** Celanese *****Messer ***** Roussel Uclaf (Acq 1997) *** Sanofi-Synthélabo (Merged 2004) ****Sanofi (Est 1973 as subsidiary of

) *****Midy ***** Sterling Winthrop (Acq 1994) ****

Synthélabo Sanofi S.A. is a French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in Paris, France. The corporation was established in 1973 and merged with Synthélabo in 1999 to form Sanofi-Synthélabo. In 2004, Sanofi-Synthélabo merg ...

*****Laboratoires Dausse (Founded 1834, merged 1970) *****Robert & Carrière (Founded 1899, merged 1970) *** Zentiva (Acq 2008) ****Leciva Slovakofarma (Acq 2003) ****Sicomed SA Bucharest (Acq 2005) ***Medley Farma (Acq 2009) ***Shantha Biotechnics (Acq 2009) ***Chattem (Acq 2010) ***Nepentes Pharma (Acq 2010) ***BMP Sunstone Corporation (Acq 2010) **

(Acq 2011) ***Whatman Biochemicals Ltd (Acq 1981) ***Koch-Light Laboratories (Acq 1982) ***Integrated Genetics (Acq 1989, spun off 1991) ***Genecore International (Diagnostic enzyme div, acq 1991) ***Medix Biotech, Inc. (Acq 1992) ***Enzymatix Ltd (Acq 1992) ***Vivigen (Acq 1992) ***Virotech (Acq 1993) ***Omni Res srl (Acq 1993) ***Sygena Ltd (Acq 1994) ***BioSurface Technology Inc. (Acq 1994) ***TSI Inc. (Acq 1994) ***PharmaGenics, Inc. (Acq 1997) ***Biomatrix (Acq 2000) ***SangStat Medical Corp. (Acq 2003) ***Ilex Oncology Inc. (Acq 2004) ***Bone Care International Inc. (Acq 2005) ***AnorMED Inc. (Acq 2006) ***Bioenvision (Acq 2007) **Protein Sciences (Acq 2017) **

(Acq 2018) ***True North Therapeutics (Acq 2017) **

(Acq 2018) **Synthorx (Acq 2019) **Principia Biopharma (Acq 2020) **Kiadis Pharma (Acq 2020) **Kymab Ltd (Acq 2021) **Tidal Therapeutics (Acq 2021) **Translate Bio (Acq 2021) ** Kadmon Corporation (Acq 2021) **Origimm Biotechnology GmbH (Acq 2021) **Amunix Pharmaceuticals (Acq 2021) **Provention Bio (Acq 2023) **Inhibrx (Acq 2024) **Vigil Neuroscience (Acq 2025)

Products

The following products are listed on the Sanofi Genzyme website.

Generic drug A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...

names are given in parentheses following the brand name. –

Autoimmune In immunology, autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an " autoimmune disease" ...

* Aubagio ( Teriflunomide), small molecule for

multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...

. Approved by the FDA in September 2012. * Auvi-Q ( Epinephrine autoinjector), licensed from Intelliject and approved by the FDA in 2012, for emergency treatment of life-threatening

allergic reactions Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, alle ...

. Product recall and effects: The epinephrine (adrenaline) auto-injection devices made by Sanofi SA currently on the market in the US and Canada were voluntarily recalled on 28 October 2015. The reason given by Sanofi was that the products had been found to potentially have inaccurate dosage delivery systems, which might include failure to deliver the drugs. Sanofi US also added the following warning: If a patient experiencing a serious allergic reaction (i.e., anaphylaxis) did not receive the intended dose, there could be significant health consequences, including death, because anaphylaxis is a potentially life‑threatening condition. In its news release on 28 October 2015, Sanofi Canada stated that it was "actively working with suppliers of alternative epinephrine auto-injectors to have a full stock available in Canada as soon as possible. Canadian customers were asked to immediately return the Allerject product to their local pharmacy to obtain an alternate epinephrine auto-injector." The US

(FDA) also filed a news release, confirming that the recall involved all Auvi-Q currently on the market in the United States. The FDA release went on to provide information for consumers re: exchanging the device for another brand of product, also provided on the Auvi-Q web site. Sanofi US would provide reimbursement for out of pocket costs incurred for the purchase of new, alternate epinephrine auto-injectors with proof of purchase. The alternate products expected to most commonly replace the recalled Sanofi devices were the EpiPens made by Mylan in the US and by Pfizer—under license from Mylan—in Canada. Mylan already had an 85% market share of the auto-injectors in the USA in the first half of 2015. Maylan was expected to benefit from the recall by its competitor Sanofi, according to a report published in the Fierce Pharma newsletter of 2 November 2015. As Bernstein analyst Ronny Gal wrote in a note to clients,"....it is very hard to see Auvi-Q returning to the market, as it will need to be redesigned and face uphill battle to recapture patient trust after the recall." Gal also believed that the company would eventually have 95% of the epinephrine auto-injector market, according to another Fierce Pharma report on 3 November 2015. –

Cardiovascular In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart a ...

* Adenoscan (

Adenosine Adenosine (symbol A) is an organic compound that occurs widely in nature in the form of diverse derivatives. The molecule consists of an adenine attached to a ribose via a β-N9- glycosidic bond. Adenosine is one of the four nucleoside build ...

), for arrhythmias, marketed by Astellas. * Altace ( Ramipril), for

hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...

, marketed by Pfizer. * Arixtra ( Fondaparinux), for thrombosis, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline and now owned by Mylan. * Avalide ( Irbesartan), for

, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb. * Avapro ( Irbesartan), for

, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb. * Cardizem (

Diltiazem Diltiazem, sold under the brand name Cardizem among others, is a nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker medication used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and certain heart arrhythmias. It may also be used in hyperthyroidism if beta b ...

), for

, Now owned by Bausch Health. * Cholestagel (

Colesevelam Colesevelam is a bile acid sequestrant administered orally. It was developed by GelTex Pharmaceuticals and later acquired by Genzyme. It is marketed in the US by Daiichi Sankyo under the brand name Welchol and elsewhere by Genzyme as Cholesta ...

), for low-calorie diet and exercise. * Cordarone (

Amiodarone Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic medication used to treat and prevent a number of types of cardiac dysrhythmias. This includes ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and wide complex tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and paroxys ...

), for heart rhythm problems. * Iprivask ( Desirudin), for atherothrombosis, Now owned by Bausch Health. * Kynamro ( Mipomersen), an antisense drug invented by Isis Pharmaceuticals and acquired by Genzyme in 2008, (pre-Sanofi) and approved by the FDA in 2013, for the orphan disease homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. * Lasix (

Furosemide Furosemide, sold under the brand name Lasix among others, is a loop diuretic medication used to treat edema due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease. Furosemide may also be used for the treatment of high blood pressure. It can ...

), for edema. * Lovenox ( Enoxaparin), for thrombosis, (its biggest seller in 2008). * Multaq ( Dronedarone), for cardiac arrhythmias. * Nitrolingual (

Nitroglycerin Nitroglycerin (NG) (alternative spelling nitroglycerine), also known as trinitroglycerol (TNG), nitro, glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), or 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane, is a dense, colorless or pale yellow, oily, explosive liquid most commonly produced by ...

), for chest pain and angina, marketed by G. Pohl-Boskamp GmbH & Co. *

Plavix Clopidogrel, sold under the brand name Plavix among others, is an antiplatelet medication used to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in those at high risk. It is also used together with aspirin in heart attacks and following the pla ...

(

), for atherothrombosis, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb. * Praluent ( Alirocumab), for heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, marketed by Regeneron. * Ranexa ( Ranolazine), for stable angina, marketed by Gilead Sciences. –

Dermatology Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the Human skin, skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A List of dermatologists, ...

* Dupixent ( Dupilumab), for eczema, marketed by Regeneron. * Dynabac ( Dirithromycin), for acute bacteria exacerbations. * Sklice (

Ivermectin Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug. After its discovery in 1975, its first uses were in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis. Approved for human use in 1987, it is used to treat infestations including head lice ...

), for head lice, now owned by Arbor Pharmaceuticals. –

Diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

* Adlyxin ( Lixisenatide), for type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Admelog (insulin lispro), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Afrezza ( Inhalable insulin), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Amaryl ( Glimepiride), for type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Apidra (insulin glulisine), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Diabeta ( Glyburide), for type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Glucophage ( Metformin), for type 2 diabetes mellitus, marketed by EMD Serono. * Insuman ( Human insulin), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Lantus (insulin glargine), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Soliqua (insulin glargine/lixisenatide), for type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Toujeo (insulin glargine), for type 1 and type 2

diabetes mellitus Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained hyperglycemia, high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or th ...

. –

Endocrinology Endocrinology (from ''endocrine system, endocrine'' + ''wikt:-logy#Suffix, -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the ...

), for low-calorie diet and exercise. * Diabeta ( Glyburide), for type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Glucophage ( Metformin), for type 2 diabetes mellitus, marketed by EMD Serono. * Hectorol ( Doxercalciferol), for parathyroid hormone. * Insuman ( Human insulin), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Lantus (insulin glargine), for type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Skelid ( Tiludronic acid), for

Paget's disease of bone Paget's disease of bone (commonly known as Paget's disease or, historically, osteitis deformans) is a condition involving Bone remodeling, cellular remodeling and deformity of one or more bones. The affected bones show signs of dysregulated bone ...

. * Soliqua (insulin glargine/lixisenatide), for type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Toujeo (insulin glargine), for type 1 and type 2

. –

Gastroenterology Gastroenterology (from the Greek gastḗr- "belly", -énteron "intestine", and -logía "study of") is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract, sometime ...

* Dupixent ( Dupilumab), for eosinophilic esophagitis, marketed by Regeneron. * Lanzor ( Lansoprazole), for acid reflux disease. * Seprafilm ( Adhesion barrier), for internal adhesions. * Zaltrap ( Aflibercept), recombinant fusion protein, approved in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with other agents in 2012, marketed by Regeneron. –

Hematology Hematology (American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to bloo ...

* Alprolix (

Factor IX Factor IX (), also known as Christmas factor, is one of the serine proteases involved in coagulation; it belongs to peptidase family S1. Deficiency of this protein causes haemophilia B. It was discovered in 1952 after a young boy named Stephen ...

), for hemophilia B. * Arixtra ( Fondaparinux), for thrombosis, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline and now owned by Mylan. * Cablivi ( Caplacizumab), for thrombosis. * Campath ( Alemtuzumab), for

. *

Clolar Clofarabine is a purine nucleoside antimetabolite marketed in the United States and Canada as Clolar. In Europe and Australia/New Zealand the product is marketed under the name Evoltra. It is FDA-approved for treating relapsed or refractory ac ...

(

Clofarabine Clofarabine is a purine nucleoside antimetabolite marketed in the United States and Canada as Clolar. In Europe and Australia/New Zealand the product is marketed under the name Evoltra. It is FDA-approved for treating relapsed or refractory a ...

), for leukemia. * Eloctate (

Factor VIII Coagulation factor VIII (Factor VIII, FVIII, also known as anti-hemophilic factor (AHF)) is an essential blood clotting protein. In humans, it is encoded by ''F8'' gene. Defects in this gene result in hemophilia A, an X-linked bleeding disorder ...

), for hemophilia A. * Ferrlecit ( Sodium ferric gluconate complex), for iron deficiency anemia. * Fludara ( Fludarabine), for leukemia. * Mozobil ( Plerixafor), for macrocycle, approved by the FDA for peripheral blood stem cell mobilizer for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma in December 2008. * Oforta ( Fludarabine), for leukemia. *

Thymoglobulin Thymoglobulin (manufactured by Sanofi) is an anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin preparation made of purified polyclonal antibodies derived from rabbits. While these antibodies have a variety of specificities, their main mechanism of immunosuppres ...

, for hemophilia A. * Zemaira (

Alpha-1 antitrypsin Alpha-1 antitrypsin or α1-antitrypsin (A1AT, α1AT, A1A, or AAT) is a protein belonging to the serpin superfamily. It is encoded in humans by the ''SERPINA1'' gene. A protease inhibitor, it is also known as alpha1–proteinase inhibitor (A1P ...

), for chronic augmentation, Now owned by CSL Behring. – Infectious diseases * Antibiotics: * Amoklavin ( Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) * Claforan (

Cefotaxime Cefotaxime is an antibiotic used to treat several bacterial infections in humans, other animals, and plant tissue culture. Specifically in humans it is used to treat joint infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, meningitis, pneumonia, urin ...

) * Priftin ( Rifapentine) * Suprax ( Cefixime) * Tavanic (

Levofloxacin Levofloxacin, sold under the brand name Levaquin among others, is a broad-spectrum antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone drug class. It is the left-handed isomer of the medication ofloxacin. It is used to treat a number of bacterial infections ...

) * Vaccines: **Bacterial diseases: * ActHIB ( Hib vaccine) * Adacel (

DPT vaccine The DPT vaccine or DTP vaccine is a class of combination vaccines to protect against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (lockjaw). The vaccine components include diphtheria and tetanus t ...

) * Daptacel (

) * Dengvaxia ( Dengue vaccine) * Menactra ( Meningococcal infections) * Mycobax ( Tuberculosis vaccine) * Pentacel ( DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine) * Pneumo 23 ( Pneumococcal infections) * Quadracel ( DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine) * Shanchol (

Cholera vaccine A cholera vaccine is a vaccine that is effective at reducing the risk of contracting cholera. The recommended cholera vaccines are administered orally to elicit local immune responses in the gut, where the intestinal cells produce antibodies ...

) * Synercid ( Quinupristin/dalfopristin), marketed by Pfizer. * Tenivac (

Tetanus vaccine Tetanus vaccine, also known as tetanus toxoid (TT), is a toxoid vaccine used to prevent tetanus. During childhood, five doses are recommended, with a sixth given during adolescence. After three doses, almost everyone is initially immune, but ...

) * Tripedia (

), discontinued in 2012. * Tubersol ( Tuberculosis vaccine) * Typhim Vi (

Typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often th ...

) * Vaccin Tetanique Pasteur (

) **Viral diseases: * ACAM 2000 (

Smallpox vaccine The smallpox vaccine is used to prevent smallpox infection caused by the variola virus. It is the first vaccine to have been developed against a contagious disease. In 1796, British physician Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with th ...

), eradicated in 1980 (vaccine produced as a measure in response to the threat of bioterrorism). * Avaxim ( Hepatitis A vaccine) * Flublok (

Influenza vaccine Influenza vaccines, colloquially known as flu shots or the flu jab, are vaccines that protect against infection by influenza viruses. New versions of the vaccines are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes. While their ...

) *

Fluzone Influenza vaccines, colloquially known as flu shots or the flu jab, are vaccines that protect against infection by influenza viruses. New versions of the vaccines are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes. While thei ...

(

) * Hbvaxpro (

Hepatitis B vaccine Hepatitis B vaccine is a vaccine that prevents hepatitis B. The first dose is recommended within 24 hours of birth with either two or three more doses given after that. This includes those with poor immune function such as from HIV/AIDS and ...

) * Imovax Polio (

Polio vaccine Polio vaccines are vaccines used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). Two types are used: an inactivated vaccine, inactivated poliovirus given by injection (IPV) and a attenuated vaccine, weakened poliovirus given by mouth (OPV). The World Healt ...

) * Imovax Rabies (

Rabies vaccine The rabies vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent rabies. There are several rabies vaccines available that are both safe and effective. Vaccinations must be administered prior to rabies virus exposure or within the Latent period (epidemiology), l ...

) * Ipol (

) * Ixiaro ( Japanese encephalitis) * M-M-RVaxPro ( MMR vaccine) * Rouvax ( Measles vaccine) * Rudivax (

Rubella vaccine Rubella vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent rubella. Effectiveness begins about two weeks after a single dose and around 95% of people become immune. Countries with high rates of immunization no longer see cases of rubella or congenital rubell ...

) * Stamaril ( Yellow fever vaccine) * Vaxigrip (

) * YF-VAX ( Yellow fever vaccine) –

Metabolic Metabolism (, from ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cellular processes; the ...

* Actonel ( Risedronic acid), for

osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to more porous bone, and consequent increase in Bone fracture, fracture risk. It is the most common reason f ...

and Paget's disease, now owned by Allergan. * Renagel ( Sevelamer) hydrochloride, for end stage renal disease. * Renvela ( Sevelamer) hydrochloride, for end stage renal disease. –

Neurology Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix wikt:-logia, -logia, "study of") is the branch of specialty (medicine) , medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous syst ...

* Ambien (

Zolpidem Zolpidem, sold under the brand name Ambien among others, is a medication primarily used for the short-term treatment of sleeping problems. Guidelines recommend that it be used only after cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and after beh ...

), for

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

. * Ambien CR (

), for

. * Aubagio ( Teriflunomide), for

. * Depakine ( Valproic acid), for

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...

, now owned by AbbVie. * Depakote ( Valproate semisodium), for

, now owned by AbbVie. * Hyalgan ( Sodium hyaluronate), for

blood tests A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a hypodermic needle, or via fingerprick. Multiple tests for specific blood components, such as a glucose test or a cho ...

. * Lemtrada ( Alemtuzumab), for

. * Pediapred (

Prednisolone Prednisolone is a corticosteroid, a steroid hormone used to treat certain types of allergies, inflammation, inflammatory conditions, autoimmune disorders, and cancers, Electrolyte imbalance, electrolyte imbalances and skin conditions. Some of ...

), for

. * Rilutek ( Riluzole), for ALS. * Sabril ( Vigabatrin), for

, marketed by Lundbeck. –

Oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...

* Anzemet ( Dolasetron), for nausea and vomiting. * Campath ( Alemtuzumab), for

. * Caprelsa ( Vandetanib), for breast, colorectal cancer and female infertility. *

(

), for leukemia. * Clomid (

Clomifene Clomifene, also known as clomiphene, is a medication used to treat infertility in women who do not ovulate, including those with polycystic ovary syndrome. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include pelvic pain and hot flashes. Oth ...

), for

female infertility Female infertility refers to infertility in women, which is the inability to Fertilisation, conceive after sexual intercourse. It affects an estimated 48 million women, globally. Female infertility varies widely by region. The highest rates of ...

. * Dupixent ( Dupilumab), for eczema, marketed by Regeneron. * Eligard ( Leuprorelin), for prostate cancer, marketed by Astellas. * Elitek ( Rasburicase), for the treatment to help stop uric acid. * Eloxatin (

Oxaliplatin Oxaliplatin, sold under the brand name Eloxatin among others, is a cancer medication (platinum-based antineoplastic class) used to treat colorectal cancer. It is given by intravenous, infusion into a vein. Common side effects include paresth ...

), for

colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the Colon (anatomy), colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include Lower gastrointestinal ...

. * Fludara ( Fludarabine), for leukemia. * Gliadel Wafer ( Carmustine), for cancer, now owned by Arbor Pharmaceuticals. * Jevtana ( Cabazitaxel), for prostate cancer. * Kevzara ( Sarilumab), for blood tests,

lung The lungs are the primary Organ (biology), organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the Vertebral column, backbone on either side of the heart. Their ...

and

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...

, marketed by Regeneron. * Libtayo ( Cemiplimab), for squamous cell skin cancer, marketed by Regeneron. * Mozobil ( Plerixafor), macrocycle, approved by the FDA for peripheral blood stem cell mobilizer for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma in December 2008. * Oforta ( Fludarabine), for leukemia. * Taxotere (

Docetaxel Docetaxel (DTX or DXL), sold under the brand name Taxotere among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancer. This includes breast cancer, head and neck cancer, stomach cancer, prostate cancer and non-small-cel ...

), for

breast The breasts are two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso among humans and other primates. Both sexes develop breasts from the same embryology, embryological tissues. The relative size and development of the breasts is ...

and

. * Uroxatral (

Alfuzosin Alfuzosin, sold under the brand name Uroxatral among others, is a medication of the α1 blocker class. It is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As an antagonist of the α1-adrenergic receptor, it works by relaxing the muscles ...

), for

benign prostatic hyperplasia Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called prostate enlargement, is a noncancerous increase in size of the prostate gland. Symptoms may include frequent urination, trouble starting to urinate, weak stream, urinary retention, inability t ...

. * Zaltrap ( Aflibercept), recombinant fusion protein, approved in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with other agents in 2012, marketed by Regeneron. – Other * Aldurazyme ( Laronidase), for hurler syndrome. * Aplenzin ( Bupropion), for depression and quit smoking. * Captique ( Dermal filler), for facial wrinkles. * Carticel ( Knee cartilage replacement therapy), for knee pain. * Cerdelga ( Eliglustat), for type 1 gaucher disease. *

Ceredase Alglucerase was a biopharmaceutical drug for the treatment of Gaucher's disease. It was a modified form of human β- glucocerebrosidase enzyme, where the non-reducing ends of the oligosaccharide chains have been terminated with mannose residue ...

( Alglucerase), for

Gaucher's disease Gaucher's disease or Gaucher disease () (GD) is a genetic disorder in which glucocerebroside (a sphingolipid, also known as glucosylceramide) accumulates in cells and certain organs. The disorder is characterized by bruising, fatigue, anemia, low ...

. * Cerezyme ( Imiglucerase), for

. * Elaprase ( Idursulfase), marketed by Shire. * Epicel (cultured epidermal autografts), for thickness burns. * Fabrazyme ( Agalsidase), for Fabry disease. * Flagyl (

Metronidazole Metronidazole, sold under the brand name Flagyl and Metrogyl among others, is an antibiotic and antiprotozoal medication. It is used either alone or with other antibiotics to treat pelvic inflammatory disease, endocarditis, and bacterial vagino ...

), for vaginal infections, marketed by Pfizer. * Hylaform Plus ( Injectable filler), for facial wrinkles. * Lumizyme ( Alglucosidase alfa), for Pompe disease. * Myozyme ( Alglucosidase alfa), for Pompe disease. * Sculptra (

Polylactic acid Polylactic acid, also known as poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA), is a plastic material. As a thermoplastic polyester (or polyhydroxyalkanoate) it has the backbone formula or . PLA is formally obtained by condensation of lactic acid with ...

), for facial fat loss. * Thyrogen ( Thyroid-stimulating hormone), for thyroid cancer. – Over the counter * Allegra (

Fexofenadine Fexofenadine, sold under the brand name Allegra among others, is an antihistamine medication used in the treatment of allergy symptoms such as allergic rhinitis and urticaria. Therapeutically, fexofenadine is a selective peripheral H1 blocke ...

), for

allergic rhinitis Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It is classified as a type I hypersensitivity reaction. Signs a ...

. * Buscopan ( Hyoscine butylbromide), for abdominal pain. * Maalox (

Calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a common substance found in Rock (geology), rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite, most notably in chalk and limestone, eggshells, gastropod shells, shellfish skel ...

), an

antacid An antacid is a substance which neutralization (chemistry), neutralizes gastric acid, stomach acidity and is used to relieve heartburn, indigestion, or an upset stomach. Some antacids have been used in the treatment of constipation and diarrhe ...

. * Nasacort ( Triamcinolone), for

. * Novaldol (

Paracetamol Paracetamol, or acetaminophen, is a non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic agent used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. It is a widely available over-the-counter drug sold under various brand names, including Tylenol and Panadol. Parac ...

), for pain and fever. * Unisom ( Doxylamine), for night-time allergy and cold relief. * Xyzal ( Levocetirizine), for

, marketed by UCB. * Telfast for Seasonal

Allergy Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...

Relief * Enterogermina Medicine for

Diarrhea Diarrhea (American English), also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa (British English), is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements in a day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration d ...

–

Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...

* Bi-profined ( Ketoprofen), for pain. * Solpadol ( Codeine), for

chronic pain Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs for longer than 3 months.https://icd.who.int/browse/2025-01/mms/en#1581976053 It is also known as gradual burning pain, electrical pain, throbbing pain, and nauseating pain. This type of pain is in cont ...

. – Respiratory and inflammatory diseases * Atrovent ( Ipratropium bromide), for asthma, marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim. * Azmacort ( Triamcinolone), for asthma. * Dupixent ( Dupilumab), for eosinophilic asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, marketed by Regeneron. * Dynabac ( Dirithromycin), for acute bacterial exacerbations. * Ketek ( Telithromycin), for community acquired pneumonia. * Priftin ( Rifapentine), for tuberculosis. * Rifadin (

Rifampin Rifampicin, also known as rifampin, is an ansamycin antibiotic used to treat several types of bacterial infections, including tuberculosis (TB), ''Mycobacterium avium'' complex, leprosy, and Legionnaires' disease. It is almost always used tog ...

), for tuberculosis. * Rifamate ( Isoniazid/rifampicin), for tuberculosis. * Rifater ( Rifampicin/isoniazid/pyrazinamide), for tuberculosis. * Tilade ( Nedocromil), for asthma. * Zagam ( Sparfloxacin), for chronic bronchitis. * Zemaira (

), for chronic augmentation, now owned by CSL Behring. * Mucosolvan Medicine for

Cough A cough is a sudden expulsion of air through the large breathing passages which can help clear them of fluids, irritants, foreign particles and Microorganism, microbes. As a protective reflex, coughing can be repetitive with the cough reflex fol ...

–

Rheumatology Rheumatology () is a branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and management of disorders whose common feature is inflammation in the bones, muscles, joints, and internal organs. Rheumatology covers more than 100 different complex diseases, c ...

* Arava ( Leflunomide), for rheumatoid and

psoriatic arthritis Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a long-term inflammatory arthritis that may occur in some people affected by the autoimmune disease psoriasis. The classic features of psoriatic arthritis include dactylitis (sausage-like swelling of the fingers ...

. * Kevzara ( Sarilumab), for blood tests,

and

, marketed by Regeneron. * Primaquine ( Primaquine), for malaria. * Synvisc (

Hyaluronic acid Hyaluronic acid (; abbreviated HA; conjugate base hyaluronate), also called hyaluronan, is an anionic, nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan distributed widely throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues. It is unique among glycosaminog ...

), for knee pain. –

Urology Urology (from Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:οὖρον, οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''wiktionary:-logia, -logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of t ...

* Ditropan XL ( Oxybutynin chloride), for bladder relief, marketed by Janssen. * Eligard ( Leuprorelin), for prostate cancer, marketed by Astellas. * Flomax ( Tamsulosin), for bladder relief, marketed by Astellas. The company also produces a broad range of over-the-counter products, among them Allegra, IcyHot for muscle pain, Gold Bond for skin irritation, and Selsun Blue dandruff shampoo. These brands were acquired in 2010, when Sanofi-Aventis purchased

Chattem Chattem, Inc. is an American, Chattanooga, Tennessee-based, producer and marketer of over-the-counter healthcare products, toiletries, dietary supplements, topical analgesics, and medicated skin care products. Originally named the Chattanooga Me ...

Pipeline

, Sanofi was in a race with

Amgen Amgen Inc. (formerly Applied Molecular Genetics Inc.) is an American multinational biopharmaceutical Corporation, company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. As one of the world's largest independent biotechnology companies, Amgen has a ...

and

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered at The Spiral (New York City), The Spiral in Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 184 ...

to win approval for a drug that inhibits PCSK9, a protein that slows the clearance of

low-density lipoprotein Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is one of the five major groups of lipoprotein that transport all fat molecules around the body in extracellular water. These groups, from least dense to most dense, are chylomicrons (aka ULDL by the overall density ...

(LDL) cholesterol – the form of cholesterol that leads to heart attacks. Sanofi's drug, a

, was discovered by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and is called alirocumab. An FDA warning in March 2014, about possible cognitive adverse effects of PCSK9 inhibition threw the competition into disarray, as the FDA asked companies to include neurocognitive testing into their Phase III clinical trials. In 2013, Sanofi announced that another candidate from its collaboration with Regeneron, a monoclonal antibody against the interleukin 6 receptor, sarilumab, had better efficacy than placebo in its first Phase III trial in rheumatoid arthritis.

Management

Serge Weinberg Serge Weinberg (born 10 February 1951) is a French businessman, and the founder and chairman of Weinberg Capital Partners, an investment firm. Early life and education Weinberg trained as a civil servant, after graduating with a bachelor's degre ...

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

* Paul Hudson,

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

* Jean-François Dehecq was the

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

of Sanofi from its creation in 1973 until 2007. * François-Xavier Roger, CFO

Stockholders

As of 31 December 2013: * Breakdown of share ownership: 8.93% by L'Oréal, 0.27%

treasury shares A treasury stock or reacquired stock is stock which is bought back by the issuing company, reducing the amount of outstanding stock on the open market ("open market" including insiders' holdings). Stock repurchases are used as a tax efficien ...

and 1.31%

employees Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...

. The remaining 89.49% were

publicly traded A public company is a company whose ownership is organized via shares of share capital, stock which are intended to be freely traded on a stock exchange or in over-the-counter (finance), over-the-counter markets. A public (publicly traded) co ...

Head office

In January 2012, Sanofi moved its head office location to 54, Rue La Boétie in the

8th arrondissement of Paris The 8th arrondissement of Paris (''VIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, the arrondissement is colloquially referred to as ''le huitième'' (). The ar ...

. This former mansion designed by architect René-Patouillard had previously been the head office of Alcatel-Lucent. Sanofi's previous head office was located in the

13th arrondissement of Paris The 13th arrondissement of Paris (''XIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of Paris. In spoken French, the arrondissement is referred to as ''le treizième'' ("the thirteenth"). The arrondissement is ...

, at 174 Avenue de France. The architecture of the head office is of the predominant style of the area surrounding the François Mitterrand Library. After Sanofi and Aventis merged, the employees at the former Aventis head office in Schiltigheim,

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

, moved to Paris. In November 2022, Sanofi moved into its new global headquarters in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, at 46-48 Avenue de la Grande Armée.

Collaborative research

In addition to internal research and development activities, Sanofi is also involved in publicly funded collaborative research projects, with other industrial and academic partners. One example in the area of non-clinical safety assessment is the InnoMed PredTox project The company is expanding its activities in joint research projects within the framework of the Innovative Medicines Initiative of EFPIA and the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

. In June 2010, Sanofi and the Charité University of Berlin signed a cooperation agreement for the research and development of medicines and therapies. On 25 October 2012, Sanofi said its earnings for the third quarter slumped, as generic competitors ate into profits from its Eloxatin

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

treatment.

Sanofi Pasteur

In 2005, Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi Group, was awarded a $97 Million

United States Department of Health and Human Services The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the US federal government created to protect the health of the US people and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...

(HHS) contract.

BCG supply shortage 2012–2014

In 2011, a Sanofi Pasteur plant flooded, causing it problems with mold. The facility, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, produced

BCG vaccine The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine is a vaccine primarily used against tuberculosis (TB). It is named after its inventors Albert Calmette and Camille Guérin. In countries where tuberculosis or leprosy is common, one dose is recom ...

products, made with the Glaxo 1077 strain, such as a tuberculosis vaccine ImmuCYST, a BCG Immunotherapeutic, a bladder cancer drug. By April 2012, the FDA had found dozens of documented problems with sterility at the plant, including mold, nesting birds, and rusted electrical conduits. The plant was closed for over two years, resulting in shortages of bladder cancer and tuberculosis vaccines. On 29 October 2014

Health Canada Health Canada (HC; )Health Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Health (). is the Structure of the Canadian federal government#Departments, with subsidiary units, department of the Gove ...

gave Sanofi permission to resume production of BCG.

COVID-19 vaccine

In 2020, Sanofi, together with GSK, signed a deal with the US government's Operation Warp Speed to provide 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for up to US$2.1 billion, if the vaccine was approved. As of August 2020, COVID-19 vaccine development in Sanofi underscored its fundamental competitiveness weakness, with which management has been struggling and failed to deal with for many years, beyond cutting more costs. Unfortunately, even though the approach of Sanofi-GSK is based on pre-existing, approved platforms and technology (as with Flublok flu), without reinventing the wheel of the necessary infrastructure, the company lagged behind many other rivals in delivering a working vaccine. Sanofi planned to start Phase 1 clinical testing only in September and expected emergency use approval in the first half of 2021. Competitors such as Novavax had already completed Phase 1 studies, with promising results, and Moderna-NIH had already initiated its Phase 3 trial. According to CNBC reports, as part of the $2.1 billion US government deal, more than 750 million went to supporting Sanofi-GSK in vaccine development and clinical trials. Sanofi turn-outs "accelerate" the development via a smaller biotech firm, Translate Bio, with a $425M partnership. At the end of September 2021, Sanofi announced that it would stop developing its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Despite promising results, the drug would not continue to Phase 3 trials, and the company stated that it would be 'too late to reach the market.'

Opella

Opella is the former Consumer Healthcare (CHC) division of Sanofi, established as an independent company headquartered in France on April 30, 2025. Its formation followed the sale of a 50.0% controlling stake by Sanofi to the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). Sanofi retained a significant 48.2% minority shareholding, while the French public investment bank Bpifrance acquired a 1.8% stake. The transaction provided Sanofi with approximately €10 billion in net cash proceeds.

Associations

Sanofi is a full member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the

Biotechnology Industry Organization The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the largest advocacy association in the world representing the biotechnology industry. It was founded in 1993 as the Biotechnology Industry Organization from a merger of the Industrial Biotechno ...

(BIO), and the

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA, pronounced ), formerly known as the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, is an American trade group representing companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Founded in 1958, PhRMA ...

(PhRMA). Sanofi's vaccine subsidiary,

, is a member of EuropaBio. In June 2021, Sanofi partnered with

Capgemini Capgemini SE is a French Multinational corporation, multinational information technology (IT) services and consulting company, headquartered in Paris, France. History Capgemini was founded by Serge Kampf in 1967 as an enterprise management and d ...

, Orange & Generali to launch Future4care, an all-European start-up accelerator centered on digital health.

Aventis Foundation

The Aventis Foundation, a German charitable trust, was established in 1996, as the Hoechst Foundation, with an endowment of €50 million. In 2000, the foundation was renamed the Aventis Foundation. The foundation promotes cultural and scientific projects, specifically focused on the Frankfurt Rhine-Main area.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Authority control, state=expanded Biotechnology companies of France CAC 40 Companies in the Euro Stoxx 50 Companies in the Dow Jones Global Titans 50 Companies listed on Euronext Paris French brands French companies established in 1973 Healthcare companies of France Health care companies established in 1973 Multinational companies headquartered in France Pharmaceutical companies established in 1973 Pharmaceutical companies of France

History

Sanofi-Synthélabo

Aventis

Sanofi-Aventis merger

Post-merger activities

Name change, acquisitions and investments

Company financials

Acquisition history

Products

Pipeline

Management

Stockholders

Head office

Collaborative research

Sanofi Pasteur

BCG supply shortage 2012–2014

COVID-19 vaccine

Opella

Associations

Aventis Foundation

See also

Notes

References

External links