The firing squad Sanofi ($SNY) faced over declining sales in its diabetes franchise overshadowed the exceptionally strong performance in the third quarter from Merial, the French pharma giant's animal health division. The company said on Thursday that Merial's sales jumped 9% year over year to €607 million ($668.8 million) during the quarter, driven by 14% growth in its companion-animal business. Sanofi continues to enjoy strong demand for NexGard, its chewable flea-and-tick fighter, and sales of the new product "more than offset" the decline in revenues from Frontline, the company's older, topical product to fend off fleas and ticks, it said in its earnings press release. Merial's production-animal products also performed well, with sales up 2.5% to €206 million ($227 million), fueled by demand for its avian-health products in emerging countries. Release