Sanofi stopping producing bladder cancer vaccine could prompt 'severe shortage'

French pharma major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) is to stop producing TheraCys/ImmuCyst (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin), its vaccine for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

The company’s vaccines unit, Sanofi Pasteur, made the announcement on Friday after failed attempts to guarantee the long-term availability of the product, which is commonly known as BCG.

These efforts included identifying companies with an interest in taking on BCG, but none would commit to the project and so Sanofi has chosen to cease production of the vaccine in mid-2017.