Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Genomics/Proteomics
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • R&D 100 Awards
  • Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50

Sanofi Pasteur & Merck to End Joint Vaccines Venture

By Mike Botta | March 9, 2016

Kenilworth, NJ – Sanofi Pasteur and Merck plan to end their joint-venture vaccine operations in Europe by the end of this year and to manage their vaccine product portfolios independently.

The 50/50 joint venture, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, was created in 1994 to develop and commercialize vaccines originating from both companies’ pipelines within 19 European countries. Outside the United States and Canada, Merck is known as MSD.

Headquartered in Lyon France, the collaborative effort combined the research and manufacturing capabilities of both companies to form a smaller organization dedicated to a single region.

“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,” the companies said in a joint statement. “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.”

The combined company reported 2015 sales at €824 million ($910 million), off roughly 3 percent from the previous year.

Merck worldwide operates in more than 140 countries offering prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products. Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, is entirely dedicated to vaccines, providing more than 1 billion doses each year around the world.

During the past 20 years, Sanofi Pasteur MSD has launched and/or provided numerous vaccines throughout Europe to protect against a range of diseases, including:

  • Gardasil (Human Papillomavirus diseases)
  • Avaxim and VAQTA (Hepatitis A)
  • HBVAXPRO (Hepatitis B)
  • Zostavax (Shingles)
  • Varivax (Chicken Pox)
  • Imovax and Verorab (Rabies)
  • Imovax Polio (Poliomyelitis)
  • Intanza, Vaxigrip and Vaxigrip/Mutagrip (Influenza)
  • M-M-RVAXPRO (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
  • Typhim VI (Typhoid Fever)
  • Stamaril (Yellow Fever)
  • Pneumo 23 and Pneumovax (Pneumococcal diseases)
  • Covaxis/Triaxis, Pediacel, Pentavac, Repevax, Revaxis, and Tetravac (Diptheria and other diseases)
  • Rotateq (Rotavirus Gastroenteritis)

Not all of the vaccines are available in each of the 19 EU countries served, according to the company, with some available under different trade names.

More than 100 positions in France may be affected, according to reports. The companies said that any impact on employees as a result of the proposed changes “will be managed responsibly” and assured customers and business partners of a “smooth and orderly transition.”

Completion of the split is expected by the end of 2016, subject to local labor laws, regulations, and regulatory approvals.

(Sources: Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Associated Press, Businesswire)

Lead image photo credit: United States Army.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates on the latest pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing news!


Filed Under: Drug Discovery

 

Related Articles Read More >

Takeda Pharmaceutical in the Drug Discovery & Development Pharma 50
Takeda’s Takhzyro fares well in pediatric hereditary angioedema study
Novartis in the Pharma 50
Novartis to cut up to 8,000 positions
Gilead Sciences in the Drug Discovery & Development Pharma 50
Gilead resubmits application to FDA for twice-yearly HIV drug lenacapavir
George Floyd mural
How the pandemic and George Floyd made clinical trial diversity a priority

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.

Need Drug Discovery news in a minute?

We Deliver!
Drug Discovery & Development Enewsletters get you caught up on all the mission critical news you need. Sign up today.
Enews Signup
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MASSDEVICE
  • DEVICETALKS
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • MEDICAL TUBING + EXTRUSION
  • MEDTECH 100
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Subscribe to our Free E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Genomics/Proteomics
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • R&D 100 Awards
  • Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50