French drug takeover proposed
Sanofi Synthelabo, a French drug maker, is making a hostile bid to take over Aventis, another French drug company. A combined firm would create a leading drug company, with over $100 billion in income, and would allow the new entity to square off against giants like Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline. This is an increasing necessity in a market where both size and an international sales force are becoming more and more critical. The union of two French companies is also publicly favored by the French government, lest one or both get swallowed up by American firms.
Here's a brief profile of the two:
Aventis
Aventis, headquartered in Strasbourg, France, is the #7 pharmaceutical company in the world. It was formed in 1998, by the merger of the pharmaceutical and agricultural divisions of French Rhone-Poulenc and German Hoechst. Hoechst had been founded in 1880, while Rhone-Poulenc's beginnings were in 1856. Aventis sold off its agricultural divisions in 2001, mostly to German Bayer AG.
Aventis works closely with several of its competitors. With Pfizer, it is developing Exubera, an inhaled insulin treatment. It also owns 50% stake in Merial, an animal health company, along with Merck & Co. It recently sold off its blood products division to Australian company CBL.
A set of "strategic brands" accounts for 55% of the company's sales. These brands are:
- Allegra (Telfast in some markets), an allergy drug
- Nascort, another allergy drug
- Lovenex (Clexane), an anti-stroke drug
- Taxotere, used in chemotherapy for breast cancer
- Delix (Tritace), a high blood pressure drug
- Lantus, a long-acting form of insulin
- Amaryl, a oral drug for reducing blood sugar in diabetics
- Ketek, an antibiotic
- Actonel, a drug for osteoporosis (jointly developed with Procter & Gamble)
- Copaxone, a treatment for multiple sclerosis
- Arava, an anti-rheumatism drug
- Campto, a treatment for colorectal cancer
- Tragocid, an antibiotic used for resistant stomach infections
- Tavanic, an antibiotic used for treating pneumonia
- Insuman, a synthetic insulin
- Aventis is a leading supplier of vaccines through its Aventis Pasteur division. These include pediatric, influenza, traveler's, and meningitis vaccines.
Sanofi Synthelabo
Sanofi and Snythelabo merged in 1999. Sanofi was a subsidiary of French oil giant Elf Aquitaine. Synthelabo was a division of French cosmetics giant L'Oreal. Those two companies are still major stakeholders. The company sells it drugs worldwide, many of them in the US through the marketing arm of Abbott Laboratories.
Aventis's annual revenues are about three times those of Sanofi. However, Sanofi, with its strong backers, is the company that will do the taking over.
Key Sanofi products are:
- Aprovel (Avaproin some markets), a blood pressure drug
- Tilidiem, another blood pressure drug
- Cordarone, a treatment for heart arrhythmia
- Plavix, for stroke prevention
- Arixtra, also for stroke prevention
- Fraxiparine (Fraxodi) a blood thinner
- Stilnox (Ambien/Myxlee), a treatment for insomnia
- Depakine, an epilepsy treatment
- Solian, an anti-psychotic drug
- Eloxatin, which treats colorectal cancer
- Fasturtek (Eletic), used in chemotherapy
- Xatralm, a treatment for enlarged prostate
Over-the-counter drugs include: No Spa (a pain reliever) and Aspegic (a soluble aspirin), Eneterogermina (for upset stomach), Rhinathol (decongestant), Fluorocaril and Parogencyl (toothpastes), Mitosyl (ointment), Lipofactor (cellulite treatment), and Lactacyd (skin care).
Note (1/26): Aventis has declined the first bid, but many sources think that they will eventually be acquired. The combined company would be the #3 drug company in the world by revenue.
4:55:59 PM 
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