Sanofi starts deliveries of Russian-made insulin to EU countries

French drugmaker Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) has announced the beginning of supplies of its next-generation basal insulin Toujeo Solostar, which is produced at its Russian Sanofi Vostok plant in the Oryol region to the countries of the European Union, according to the company.

In fact, preparations for entering the European market by the company’s Russian plant began back in 2013, while in 2015 the enterprise successfully passed European inspection and received good manufacturing practice (GMP) certification from the European Medicines Agency. The first batch of 1.4 million insulin cartridges has now arrived at the company's logistics center in Frankfurt, Germany.

The Sanofi Vostok plant is the first full-cycle pharmaceutical company in Russia for the production of modern insulin. Over 10 years, more than 120 million pens and more than 90 million cartridges have been produced at the plant. According to IQVIA, the plant produces 20% of the total volume of insulin in Russia. The enterprise primarily works to provide Russian patients with diabetes mellitus with insulin, but at the same time is developing an export direction.