Sanofi-aventis sales improve in first quarter

Sanofi-aventis has experienced a strong first quarter of 2010, thanks to strong sales of its influenza A/H1N1 vaccine and other pharmaceutical products.

According to the company’s quarterly financial breakdown, net sales for the three-month period were up by 5.8 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2009, while net income saw a 16.2 per cent increase.

Vaccine sales were a key contributing factor in this improvement, with Sanofi-aventis earning 413 million euros (357.1 million euros) from A/H1N1 treatments alone, while its diabetes division also advanced its sales by 11 per cent year-on-year.

The company also highlighted the positive progress it has made towards future initiatives, having laid the groundwork to launch its drug Multaq in the UK, as well as agreeing a merger between its Merial animal health unit and Intervet/Schering-Plough.

Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi-aventis, said: “This good start to the year, which benefited from A/H1N1, puts us on track to deliver our 2010 guidance.”

Earlier this month, the company published results from a clinical trial of its new type 2 diabetes treatment lixisenatide, which demonstrated its efficacy in reducing glycated haemoglobin levels.