The first stone of the future 1000 m² building was laid on November 9, at the Sanofi site in Tours, western France, in the presence of local officials. This is where a large part of the production of Suvreza® (also known as Zenon® in other countries) will be relocated from the second half of 2025, at a total estimated cost of €15 million ($16.36 million). “The new French unit will enable the product’s growth worldwide and secure its supply,” the group emphasizes. The drug, used for treating hypercholesterolemia, has been manufactured at the Luleburgaz site in Turkey since its launch in 2019.
The largest French laboratory aligns its approach with the goal of health sovereignty advocated by the French State. In June 2020 President Emmanuel Macron made clear his intention to relocate the French pharmaceutical industry to France during a visit to the Sanofi site in Marcy-l’Étoile, in the Rhône region.
“With this investment, Sanofi is once again demonstrating its commitment to France’s health sovereignty and the economic development of its regions. The unwavering commitment of our collaborators and the continuous modernization of our industrial facilities have made it possible to produce this drug in France. We will continue to invest, to support the production of today’s essential drugs in France and anticipate the biomanufacturing needs that will ensure our sovereignty in the future,” Audrey Derveloy, President of Sanofi France.
700 million Suvreza tablets for Europe and Asia
The Sanofi Tours site already manufactures treatments for hypercholesterolemia, in addition to treatments for cardiovascular diseases and central nervous system disorders. 3.5 billion tablets and capsules leave its laboratories every year to be dispatched in France and worldwide. The site specializes in the production and packaging of oral solid form medications, including extended-release forms (microgranules, ultilayer tablets, tablets with organic coating, etc.).
700 million Suvreza tablets will eventually come out of the new facility each year, destined for around twenty countries, primarily in Europe and Asia.
“Tours is one of Sanofi’s Top 10 most competitive plants. It is in the top 10% of sites, both technologically and economically,” explains Philippe Charreau, Head of Industrial Affairs at Sanofi France. “This industrial efficiency helps us to maintain reasonable prices for our drugs.”
The site currently has 300 employees. The new production line is expected to lead to new hires; however, the company has not provided any estimates at this time.