Sanofi sales boosted by rare disease and multiple sclerosis drugs
pharmafile | July 30, 2015 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Sales and Marketing | Genzyme, Oliver Brandicourt, Sanofi, brandicourt, financial results
Sales at pharma giant Sanofi increased by 5% in the second quarter of 2016 to nearly €10 billion, its latest financial results show.
Its performance was boosted by strong results by the company’s biotech arm Genzyme, as well as sales of multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs and vaccines. These compensated for decreases in sales of the company’s diabetes products – traditionally a strong area for Sanofi with several blockbusters. Second-quarter sales of top-seller Lantus were €1.7 billion, down 5.8%.
Overall group sales increased 4.9% compared with the second quarter of 2014 to €9.4 billion. Sanofi recorded slightly lower sales of diabetes products, which were down 3.8% compared to the same period last year, despite recent US approval for Toujeo, which registered €13 million in sales.
Genzyme sales grew 26.6% to €908 million, while rare disease products increased 9.1%, and the company’s MS franchise sales more than doubled, growing 118.4% to €260 million.
For the first time, Aubagio (teriflunomide), a treatment for relapsing-remitting MS, became Genzyme’s largest brand in terms of quarterly sales. Sales of Aubagio grew 80.4% to €204 million driven by sales in the US (up 59.7% to €142 million) and Western Europe (€46 million versus €21 million in the same period of 2014).
Vaccines sales grew 8.6% to €887 million, led by the company’s influenza and booster vaccines. Sales of established products increased 3.1% to €3.1 billion in the second quarter of 2015, led by Plavix (clopidogrel), which rose 15.3% to €545 million.
Sanofi chief executive Olivier Brandicourt says: “Sanofi delivered solid growth on both the top and bottom lines that was consistent with our expectations. We continue to execute on multiple product launches and are excited about the recent approval of Praluent (alirocumab).
“We are also investing in our commercial infrastructure, biologic capabilities and R&D programs including in immuno-oncology. Recently, we announced a new organisational structure which will be implemented beginning in January 2016 and will simplify and focus Sanofi to optimise future growth.”
Lilian Anekwe
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