Sanofi Pasteur and Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S./Canada, will end their joint vaccines operations in Europe. According to a press release, the companies plan to integrate their respective European vaccine businesses into their operations, independently manage their product portfolios and pursue their own growth strategies in Europe.
The joint venture Sanofi Pasteur MSD, owned on a 50/50 basis by Sanofi Pasteur and MSD, was created in 1994 to develop and commercialize vaccines originating from both companies’ pipelines to improve and promote public health in 19 European countries, the release said.
Sanofi Pasteur and MSD jointly issued the following statement: “We are proud of Sanofi Pasteur MSD’s successful 20-year history. Our joint venture has achieved considerable success over the past two decades from a public health and commercial perspective. After carefully considering our individual strategic priorities, alongside the economic and regulatory environments for vaccine operations in the European Union, we have mutually agreed that it is in our best interests to manage our vaccine product portfolios independently.”
Sanofi Pasteur and MSD expect the project to be completed by the end of 2016.
