Sanofi and Merck to dissolve vaccines JV

Sanofi Pasteur MSD, the European vaccines joint venture between French pharma major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) subsidiary Sanofi Pasteur and US drugs giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside North America, is to be dissolved.

The parent companies today announced their intent to end their joint vaccines operations in Europe. Upon concluding their joint venture, both companies plan to integrate their respective European vaccine businesses into their operations, independently manage their product portfolios and pursue their own distinct growth strategies in Europe.

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. Over the past 20 years, Sanofi Pasteur MSD has launched numerous innovative vaccines originating from Sanofi Pasteur and MSD's development pipelines, addressing key unmet medical needs and helping to protect millions of lives.