Sanofi enters New Year with new deal, ends its vaccine joint venture

Sanofi has starts New Year with big changes. In two separate statements the company announced closing a deal and ending a joint venture.

Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim confirmed on Monday that the strategic transaction signed in June 2016, which consists of an exchange of Sanofi’s animal health business (Merial) and Boehringer Ingelheim’s consumer healthcare (CHC) business, has been successfully closed in most markets on January 1st 2017.

The company said that the closing of the acquisition of Merial in Mexico and the Merial and CHC swap in India have been delayed pending receipt of certain regulatory approvals but both are expected to close early 2017.

Over the last months, Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim have diligently prepared for the integration of the businesses and employees as of the first day under new ownership. In the interest of all customers and to ensure uninterrupted business continuity, it is both companies’ priority to achieve a smooth integration of the transferred businesses.

Alan Main, Executive Vice President Consumer Healthcare and member of Sanofi’s Executive Committee, will lead Sanofi’s CHC business including the former Boehringer Ingelheim CHC. The Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health business unit will be headed by Dr. Joachim Hasenmaier who will remain as Member of the Boehringer Ingelheim Board of Managing Directors.

As it was mentioned at the beginning,  Sanofi and its vaccines global business unit Sanofi Pasteur confirmed on Monday the end of their vaccine joint-venture with MSD (known as Merck & Co. Inc., in the United States and Canada), Sanofi Pasteur MSD (SPMSD).

Companies said that they will separately pursue their own vaccine strategies in Europe from now on.

Since its announcement in March 2016, the project has been managed in an open dialogue with the SPMSD employees, unions and relevant external stakeholders, in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations, the company said.