Sanofi Showcases Six Innovative Medicines and Vaccines at China International Import Expo

Recently, VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) learned that at the inaugural China International Import Expo, Sanofi, a global leader in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, unveiled its 300-square-meter booth in the Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare section. The entire exhibition area was structured around three key themes of Sanofi’s development in China—innovation, collaboration, and commitment—fully showcasing the company’s new products, solutions, and projects in the fields of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and consumer healthcare.

Mr. Jean-Christophe Pointeau, President of Sanofi China, stated, “We look forward to leveraging this new platform to showcase our global R&D achievements, strengthen collaboration with Chinese stakeholders, and thereby deepen our commitment to addressing the health needs of the Chinese people, playing a more active role in China’s health ecosystem. Meanwhile, as the sole pharmaceutical and healthcare enterprise in the China-France Entrepreneurs’ Committee, Sanofi bears the responsibility of promoting in-depth cooperation and exchanges between China and France in the medical and health sectors. We anticipate that this China International Import Expo will elevate China-France economic and trade cooperation and its alignment with the Belt and Road Initiative to a new level.”

At this China International Import Expo, Sanofi debuted six innovative drugs and new vaccines for the first time. These include:

- Aubagio, the first new oral drug approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, received U.S. FDA approval in September 2012; it has recently completed its market launch in China, taking only 58 days from approval to commercial availability, setting a new record for the fastest launch of an innovative drug for rare diseases in China in recent years.

- Dupixent was approved in the United States in March 2017 and is the first and only targeted biologic agent approved by both the U.S. FDA and the European Union for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults. Last month, it also received U.S. approval for an asthma indication.

- Praluent was approved in the United States in July 2015, becoming the first PCSK9 monoclonal antibody, a novel lipid-lowering agent, to be marketed in the U.S. It is indicated for patients at high cardiovascular risk with hyperlipidemia, particularly those who have experienced cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction or stroke.

- Toujeo was approved in the United States in February 2015 for adult patients with diabetes. It is a new-generation long-acting insulin that provides stable glucose lowering with a lower risk of hypoglycemia.

- Flublok was approved in the United States in October 2016, becoming the world’s first and only approved recombinant protein-based influenza vaccine, with superior efficacy compared to egg-based influenza vaccines.

- Hexaxim was approved in the European Union in December 2012 and is the world’s only fully liquid, ready-to-use, preservative-free hexavalent vaccine for primary and booster immunization of infants and young children aged 6 weeks to 24 months.

It is reported that Sanofi expects to launch 16 new products and indications in China by 2025.

At this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), Sanofi will also host the large-scale “China Health Journey” forum. Centered on the three key themes of “Commitment, Innovation, and Collaboration,” the forum will explore how to work with partners to bring innovative medicines, vaccines, and leading disease management models showcased at the CIIE to provinces and cities along China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative also aims to strengthen the capacity and expertise of primary healthcare, promote the decentralization of high-quality medical resources, advance the development of primary healthcare management and services, and improve access to high-quality healthcare. The special webpage and photo album for “China Health Journey,” jointly produced by Sanofi and Xinhua Net, will be officially launched at the forum.

In addition, a striking feature around the Sanofi booth was the presence of the Sanofi Employee Volunteer Team. During the exhibition, 52 Sanofi volunteers, dressed in uniform volunteer attire, took on responsibilities including guided tours of the entire exhibition area and its surroundings, reception of visiting groups, management of consultations and negotiations, and maintenance of on-site order. These volunteers were selected from several hundred employee applicants and are fluent in Mandarin, English, French, and Shanghainese.