(News Bulletin 247) – The French pharmaceutical giant is the subject of a preliminary investigation by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) for disseminating false information and price manipulation around its flagship drug Dupixent.
The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) has opened a preliminary investigation against the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi for disseminating false information and price manipulation around its drug Dupixent, La Lettre said on Tuesday.
The investigations, entrusted to the Paris financial brigade, relate to the financial communication surrounding the launch at the end of 2017 of Dupixent, which has since become one of the laboratory’s star drugs, indicates La Lettre.
Sanofi “not aware” of an investigation
According to this media specializing in investigation, the PNF investigation was opened in September. Questioned by AFP, the group claimed not to be “aware” of an investigation. Also contacted by the AFP, the PNF could not immediately be contacted.
A judicial source confirmed to AFP that the PNF has been investigating these facts of price manipulation since March.
This preliminary investigation is opened for “dissemination of false or misleading information and price manipulation, entrusted to the financial brigade” and concerns “the financial communication of the Sanofi group”, confirmed this source.
Used in particular to treat asthma and eczema, Dupixent – by its scientific name dupilumab – is a blockbuster, that is to say a drug which brings in more than a billion euros per year for the laboratory.
In the third quarter, sales of Dupixent (developed by Sanofi and its American partner Regeneron) increased by 32.8%, to 2.847 billion euros.
The pharmaceutical giant’s quarterly turnover reached 11.964 billion euros. Over the first nine months of 2023, Dupixent sales reached 7.725 billion euros, up 35.1%.
On the Paris Stock Exchange, the stock was down 1% to 84.09 euros, around 10:30 a.m.
(With AFP)
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