Sanofi is ranked 4th in the multispecialty “Best Pharmaceutical Companies Germany” 2022 ranking in the category “research-based, world-leading pharmaceutical companies by sales”, moving up 6 places compared to the previous year. The first 3 places were taken by Janssen-Cilag, Novartis and Bayer Vital/Jenapharm.
2+2=1: Sanofi melting pot
The merger of Sanofi-Synthélabo (merger of the two French companies Sanofi and Synthélabo) and Aventis (from the merger of the German Hoechst AG with the French pharmaceutical group Rhône-Poulenc) in 2004 created one of the top 10 pharmaceutical giants: Sanofi, headquartered in Paris. More than 100,000 employees worldwide generated a turnover of 37.76 billion euros in 2021. In 2011, Sanofi acquired the American biotechnology company Genzyme, which contributes a significant part of the turnover, 2020 Principia Biopharma.
In line with its history, Sanofi is or has been active in a wide range of sectors: metabolic disorders/diabetes (e.g. insulin glargine/Lantus®), cardiovascular (e.g. Aprovel®), blood clotting (e.g. Plavix®, Clexane®), cancer (Eloxatin®), osteoporosis, thyroid, respiratory, CNS. At the end of 2019, the Paris headquarters announced that Sanofi would withdraw from diabetes research in favour of more profitable oncology.
Around 16,000 Sanofi employees at some 20 sites research and develop new medicines and vaccines. In 2021, more than €5.7 billion was invested in research and development, representing 15% of sales. 91 drug and vaccine candidates are in clinical development, of which 34 projects are in phase 3 or at the approval stage, e.g. the antibody Libtayo for skin and cervical cancer.
The headquarters of Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH and an important research, development and production site is the Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt/Main. Its 7,700 employees achieved sales of 4.831 billion euros in 2021, of which 1.8 billion euros were generated in Germany. Other German branches of Sanofi are Berlin with 1,300 employees (marketing and sales) and Cologne (Nattermann & Cie. GmbH, phytotherapy pioneer).
Sanofi in Germany is divided into four business areas:
- Consumer Healthcare offers pharmacy-only medicines and healthcare solutions for self-medication. According to IQVIA Pharma Scope, Sanofi ranks 5th in the German pharmacy market by sales. In 2020, Thomapyrin Tension Duo received the “Most Innovative Product” award from the pharmacy community.
- General Medicines, the largest business area globally, brings together the broad portfolio of prescription medicines.
- The Specialty Care business develops therapies for rare (blood) diseases, neurological, immunological and oncological diseases. For example, at the end of June 2022, the European Commission granted Sanofi Genzyme marketing authorisation for Nexviadyme® (avalglucosidase alfa), an enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for the long-term treatment of the rare hereditary disease Pompe disease.
- Sanofi Pasteur’s Vaccines division markets vaccines against around 20 diseases. Sanofi Pasteur has submitted a conditional marketing authorisation application for the protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine Vidprevtyn; the rolling review process at the EMA has been ongoing since July 2021.
Sanofi’s Access to Medicines initiative targets populations in many countries with inadequate healthcare. As part of “Gender Balance”, Sanofi aims to have 50/50 women and men in the top three management levels worldwide by 2025.
Multiple awards for Sanofi for innovation and sustainability
Since the start of the Pharma Trend benchmark study in 2000, Sanofi has already received the “Golden Tablet” award for innovation and sustainability 5 times. For the first time, Sanofi received the award “The most innovative product” in the Rx category in 2004 for Lantus®, in 2007/2008 for Gardasil®, in 2015 for Lemtrada®. In 2020, Thomapyrin Tension Duo® followed in the OTC category.
Awards for innovation and sustainability since 2000:
- The Golden Tablet (2007 – 2006, 2004, 2001 – 2000)
- Lantus®2004)
- Gardasil (2008, 2007)
- Lemtrada® (2015)
- Thomapyrin Tension Duo® (2020)
