Sanofi and Cheplapharm, a European leader in well-established medicines, today announced their intention to create a strategic partnership under which Cheplapharm would take over from Sanofi a selection of 20 mature medicines and three manufacturing sites worldwide. In return, Sanofi will receive a 26.4% equity stake in Cheplapharm, building on a collaboration that started in 2014.
The partnership is based on a shared conviction: that innovative medicines and certain mature medicines have different needs and should benefit from operating models tailored to their specific manufacturing, regulatory and commercial requirements. Cheplapharm’s specialized expertise will ensure these medicines continue to meet patients’ needs throughout the next stage of their lifecycle.
“Our multi-year journey to simplify our mature portfolio has enabled us to focus on innovation while ensuring mature medicines continue to reach patients who need them. Cheplapharm has been a trusted partner for more than a decade and this transaction significantly builds on its prior acquisitions from Sanofi’s mature medicines portfolio. This new partnership, together with our equity stake in Cheplapharm, underscores our commitment to ensuring patients continue to benefit from today’s essential medicines while also pursuing tomorrow’s breakthroughs,” said Thomas Grenier, Executive Vice President, General Medicines, Sanofi.
“This partnership marks a major milestone for Cheplapharm. Through this project, we are incorporating products that complement our extensive portfolio, as well as the expertise and manufacturing capabilities required to produce a flagship product, Lovenox®/Clexane®. This represents a long-term pharmaceutical and industrial commitment: to invest in our sites and their expertise, to preserve rare skills, and to ensure the long-term availability of these treatments for patients.” “We are proud to pursue this ambition alongside Sanofi,” said Edeltraud Lafer and Sebastian Braun, both Co-CEOs of Cheplapharm.
As part of the project, three manufacturing sites would be transferred to Cheplapharm: Csanyikvölgy in Hungary (c.400 employees), Jurong in Singapore (c.100 employees), and Ploërmel in France (c.65 employees). The teams would continue their activities with existing employment arrangements and collective agreements maintained. Sanofi and Cheplapharm will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of supply in compliance with the highest manufacturing quality standards.
The commercial transfer of the medicine portfolio is planned to begin in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the transfer of the sites, subject to employee information and consultation procedures with employee representatives, regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to be fully completed by the third quarter of 2027.
For Cheplapharm, this partnership represents an important step ensuring the continuity of its strategic growth. For Sanofi, it will enable the company to continue focusing its efforts on innovation, while supporting certain established medicines through the next stage of their lifecycle.
