Sanofi Pasteur, Merck plan to end joint vaccines operations in Europe

The companies said they will integrate their European vaccine operations into their global operations, manage their own portfolios separately, and pursue separate strategies for growth.

Sanofi Pasteur MSD was launched in 1994 to develop and commercialize vaccines originating from the companies’ pipelines in 19 European countries, as well as improve and promote public health.

The JV launched several new vaccines originating from the companies’ development pipelines, addressing important unmet medical needs.

The companies expect to end the JV by the end of this year, subject to local labor laws and regulatory approvals. They noted that any impact on jobs would be managed responsibly.

In a joint statement, the companies said: "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.

"We believe that focusing our efforts on opportunities unique to our respective companies will better position us to drive growth, execute in a more efficient manner and optimize vaccine coverage. By bringing vaccines more rapidly to market, both companies would deliver greater value to all stakeholders."