After rolling out its long-delayed Shan5 vaccine in November, Sanofi's ($SNY) Indian affiliate, Shantha Biotechnics, is ready to provide up to 37 million doses, having already started the process on Tuesday.
 |
| Sanofi Pasteur CEO Olivier Charmeil--Courtesy of Sanofi |
Following a two-year international tender, Hyderabad-based Shantha has delivered the first 400,000 doses of the Shan5 to help in the immunization of children in Gwalior and Jabalpur, Sanofi Pasteur said in a release. The tender includes supplying global health organizations with the low-cost pentavalent vaccine.
"This supply illustrates how Shantha and Sanofi Pasteur meet public health needs," Olivier Charmeil, Sanofi Pasteur President and CEO, said in a statement. "We are proud to contribute to making high-quality vaccines accessible to more children in developing countries."
The 5-in-1 shot protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib and hepatitis B and is manufactured in Hyderabad. In April, it was prequalified by the WHO, opening the door for purchases in more than 50 developing and low-income countries.
The prequalification was based on a positive recommendation from WHO auditors after they had inspected Shantha's facilities, but just four years prior, manufacturing problems cost the company a $340 million contract to supply Shan5. About 24 million doses were recalled and 7 countries' vaccination programs were affected.
Revenues from Shan5 will help build on Sanofi's 2014 revenue of €2,974 million ($3,172 million) and could also help the company get closer to regaining the No. 2 spot on the worldwide vaccines market. Sanofi will drop to No. 3 as GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) obtains the bulk of Novartis' ($NVS) vaccines portfolio.
- read the release (PDF)
Special Reports: The top 5 vaccine makers by 2013 revenue - Sanofi | Top 10 Drugmakers in Emerging Markets - Sanofi