Sanofi ‘set to become world’s biggest drugmaker’

Sanofi will become the biggest pharmaceutical manufacturer in the world by revenue next year, according to new research.

Analyst firm EvaluatePharma said the French company is on course to replace Pfizer at the top of the pile, with the current leader slipping to third place behind Novartis.

The study also predicted that Sanofi will retain its position at number one until at least 2016, boosted by growth stemming from its mergers and acquisitions activity.

Dr Jonathan de Pass, chief executive of EvaluatePharma, commented: "The takeover of Genzyme, an aggressive cross-border move, revealed just how much the culture of Sanofi has changed in the last few years."

Pfizer's blockbuster drug Lipitor, the world's top selling medicine, is due to lose patent protection in the US this month.

Global sales of the cholesterol-lowering statin peaked at $13.4 billion (8.3 billion pounds) in 2008.

However, Pfizer still managed to post better-than-expected revenues of $17.19 billion for the third quarter of 2011 this week.