Diabetes softens generics blow for Sanofi
pharmafile | October 30, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Eloxatin, Plavix, Sanofi, diabetes, emerging markets, patent cliff
Sanofi has unveiled its results for the third quarter, with news that the damage done by patent expiries has not been as severe as forecast.
The Paris-based firm says earnings will fall by approximately 12% for the full year, at the lower end of the 12-15% it had forecast earlier this year.
Stronger than expected performances in emerging markets, well-controlled costs and impressive growth in its diabetes and rare disease franchises, have all helped offset the patent expiry of major earners Plavix and Eloxatin.
Total sales reached €9.04 billion, a decrease of 3.1 per cent. Net sales lost to generic competition were €448 million in the quarter, primarily due to generic competition to Eloxatin in the US.
Double-digit growth in diabetes treatment Lantus and rare disease unit Genzyme helped offset the declining blockbusters.
Sanofi is using a number of tactics to counteract the demise of its blockbusters – including launching generics versions of its own drugs. The firm’s generics division continues to grow, and is particularly important in emerging markets. Overall, year-to-date sales of generics have reached €1,386 million, an increase of 9.7 per cent.
The period saw Sanofi’s diabetes business reach sales of €1,486 million, up 17.5 per cent. Flagship insulin product Lantus was particularly strong this quarter with sales up 20.7% (to €1,279 million) driven by the US (+ 22.1% to €800 million), emerging markets (+31.5% to €204 million) and Japan (+22.5% to €39 million).
The firm’s new pen delivery system Lantus SoloSTAR now represents half of all US Lantus sales. In the emerging markets, Lantus sales growth was particularly strong in China (+27.9%), Brazil (+31.2%), Mexico (+24.2%) and Russia (+41.3 per cent). Year-to-date sales of Lantus reached €3,625 million, up 18.1 per cent.
Sanofi’s chief executive, Chris Viehbacher said: “The loss of exclusivity for Eloxatin in August in the US marks the final step in the genericisation of our legacy blockbusters. The solid performance of our growth platforms which account for over 70% of sales, coupled with tight cost control, allowed us to limit the impact of the patent cliff on business EPS this quarter.”
Viehbacher concluded by listing progress in its late stage pipeline. The period saw the launch of colorectal cancer treatment Zaltrap and MS treatment Aubagio in the US, as well as FDA approval for Auvi-Q, an emergency epinephrine injection for life-threatening allergic reactions in patients at risk of anaphylaxis.
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