Sep 13, 2012 11:20am EDT
(Reuters) – Sanofi SA has won U.S. approval for its multiple sclerosis (MS) pill Aubagio, one of the two treatments for the chronic disease that could return the French drugmaker to growth after several blockbuster drugs lost patent protection.
The drug is less effective than rival pills but has milder side effects and analysts say it could be popular among newly diagnosed patients. Around 35 to 40 percent of MS sufferers prefer to take no medication rather than face unwanted side effects.
Sanofi is also expected to highlight the convenience of a once-daily pill against injectable drugs that are widely prescribed as a first-line treatment for MS.
“If you look at the multiple sclerosis market, which is worth $12 billion and is currently dominated by injectables, and introduce a pill with similar efficacy, the prospects are very bright,” Bill Sibold, head of MS at Sanofi’s rare disease unit Genzyme, told Reuters.
Aubagio is expected to launch on the U.S. market in a few weeks, a spokeswoman for Sanofi unit Genzyme said.
The medicine will cost $45,000 for a year’s treatment, making it cheaper than rivals and indicating Sanofi is ready for a commercial battle to win market share.
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