Sanofi and MSD end their joint vaccines partnership
pharmafile | January 3, 2017 | News story | Research and Development | MSD, Sanofi, Sanofi pasteur msd
With a new year comes a fresh start, and so it was the case with Sanofi and MSD’s joint vaccine venture, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, which closed its doors and operations on 1 January. The joint operation had been ongoing since 1994 but the two companies decided to integrate the operation into their own facilities in Europe. The decision to close the venture came back in March of 2016.
The two companies, Sanofi and MSD, had each owned half of the business. In a statement on the decision, both companies released the following: “We are proud of Sanofi Pasteur MSD’s successful 20-year history. Our joint venture has achieved considerable success over the past two decades from a public health and commercial perspective. After carefully considering our individual strategic priorities, alongside the economic and regulatory environments for vaccine operations in the European Union, we have mutually agreed that it is in our best interests to manage our vaccine product portfolios independently. We believe that focusing our efforts on opportunities unique to our respective companies will better position us to drive growth, execute in a more efficient manner and optimize vaccine coverage. By bringing vaccines more rapidly to market, both companies would deliver greater value to all stakeholders.”
The companies have spent the intervening months, after the announcement, to “a smooth and orderly transition while achieving their public healthcare goals and upholding their commitments to their employees, customers and business partners.”
The move will allow both companies to focus on its own vaccine pipeline, particularly important for Sanofi which is struggling with its insulin business in the US.
Ben Hargreaves
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