Sanofi to top Pfizer as number one for global pharma sales

French drug major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) is expected to take the top spot amongst the world’s pharmaceuticals manufacturers in 2012 and hold it through 2016, according to a new report by life sciences analyst EvaluatePharma.

The French drugmaker has raced up the rankings over the last decade largely through M&A activity, with the $20 billion purchase this year of US biotechnology specialist Genzyme predicted to help win its number one ranking. This means that, after nine years as the world’s biggest maker of medicines, Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is set to cede its crown next year to a company that a decade ago few would have predicted to be leading the pharma league tables

“The takeover of Genzyme, an aggressive cross-border move, revealed just how much the culture of Sanofi has changed in the last few years,” commented Jonathan de Pass, chief executive of EvaluatePharma, noting: “Coming just as Pfizer loses Lipitor [atorvastatin, which loses US patent protection this month], the acquisition should be enough to secure Sanofi the top spot for the next few years, our data suggest.”