French pharma major Sanofi plans first-in-class drug launches in India

The company entered into distribution agreements with Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s and Emcure Pharma in March for its CNS, vaccines and cardiovascular portfolio respectively.

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi India is gearing up for a series of first-in-class drug launches in the Indian market this year, according to a statement from a top company official.

Rodolfo Hrosz, Managing Director of Sanofi India Limited, told Moneycontrol in an interview that the company has planned these launches from June onwards . "We’ve worked hard to put together a number of innovations and launches to bring to the Indian market. Some are local, locally developed, but the majority of the impact comes from the global best-in-class products that we could bring to the Indian market," he said.

Among the significant launches planned are Soliqua, a pre-mix insulin, and Rezurock, a medication for bone marrow transplants. Soliqua was introduced after receiving marketing authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in 2023, while Rezurock is slated for release by December 2024 or next January.

Additionally, Sanofi aims to introduce other groundbreaking medications, including Dupixent for Atopic Dermatitis in adults, Xenpozyme, the only approved therapy for late-onset Pompe disease, Beyfortus for RSV, and TZIELD, which has shown promise in slowing type 1 diabetes in clinical trials.

To bolster its market presence, Sanofi India has entered into distribution agreements with prominent pharmaceutical companies such as Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s, and Emcure Pharma. These agreements cover Sanofi’s CNS, vaccines, and cardiovascular portfolio, with the management optimistic about expanding the reach of its products through these collaborations.

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Regarding the diabetes care segment, Hrosz highlighted its significance in India, where over 100 million people suffer from the disease, according to a Lancet study. He welcomed more competitors into the segment while emphasising Sanofi's focus on addressing diabetes rather than weight loss.

Furthermore, Sanofi India announced plans to segregate its consumer healthcare business into a separate entity by June-July this year. This decision follows the approval of a scheme of arrangement by the board of Sanofi India Limited in May 2023. Notable brands under its consumer healthcare business include Allegra, DePURA, Avil, and Combiflam, with an annual turnover of Rs 730 crore for FY22.

Sanofi India reported a 5.19 percent increase in net profit to Rs 137.7 crore in the October-December quarter of FY24 compared to the same period a year earlier, showcasing resilience and adaptability in the pharmaceutical landscape.

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