Sanofi Pasteur and Merck Vaccines Appoint Dr Jean-Paul Kress, as President of Sanofi Pasteur MSD
By Sanofi Pasteur, PRNEWednesday, July 6, 2011
LYON, France, July 7, 2011 -
-
Newcomer‘s
Biopharmaceutical Experience to
Further Develop European
Joint-Venture -
MSD, known as Merck in the United States and Canada (NYSE: MRK),
and Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN
and NYSE: SNY), the two partner companies in Sanofi Pasteur MSD,
announce today the appointment of Dr. Jean-Paul Kress as President
of Sanofi Pasteur MSD, subject to the approval of the Board
members.
“Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a major contributor to the European
vaccine market. Jean-Paul Kress‘ appointment at the
helm of the company recognizes a new ambition for our joint-venture
in Europe, a challenging and strategic region for our
vaccines activity“,said Olivier Charmeil,
President and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur. “His leadership experience
and dynamism will be strong assets to grow Sanofi Pasteur MSD’s
market share and operating performance in Europe.”
“Having a strong leader with the breadth of experience Dr.
Kress brings to the table is key to the success of the Sanofi
Pasteur MSD joint-venture and supports our mission to do everything
we can to bring vaccines to all who need them,” said Julie L.
Gerberding, M.D., President Merck Vaccines. ”Growing our
vaccine business in Europe remains a critical focus
for Merck and we look forward to working with Jean-Paul to help
achieve this important goal.”
Combining innovation from two major global leaders, Sanofi
Pasteur MSD offers the broadest range of vaccines. Amongst others,
the company is the European leader for flu vaccines, and has
brought recent breakthroughs to Europe including the first vaccine
to help prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) diseases, including
cervical cancer. Totally dedicated to vaccines and Europe, Sanofi
Pasteur MSD provides extensive expertise to its customers,
including health care professionals and health authorities.
Dr. Jean-Paul
Kress‘biography
A French citizen, Jean-Paul Kress holds a MD Degree from Faculté
Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, and a Post-Graduate Degree from
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris. He is a board member of LEEM, the
French Pharma Industry Association. Prior to his appointment,
Jean-Paul Kress was Vice President and General Manager for Gilead
France, a company he joined in 2006 as Vice President, US sales and
Marketing, Antiviral Business Unit. Former positions include 9
years at Abbott in various sales, marketing and General Management
positions in the EU and in the USA as well as positions at
Smithkline Beecham and Eli Lilly, the company where he started his
career in the pharmaceutical industry in 1993.
About MSD
Today’s MSD is a global healthcare leader working to help the
world be well. MSD is a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc.,
with headquarters in Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. Through our
prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer
care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate
in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions.
We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to
healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and
partnerships. For more information, visit
About Sanofi Pasteur MSD
Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a joint venture between sanofi pasteur,
the vaccine division of Sanofi, and Merck (known as MSD outside the
US and Canada). Combining innovation and expertise, Sanofi Pasteur
MSD is totally dedicated to vaccines and Europe. Sanofi Pasteur MSD
is able to draw on the research expertise of sanofi pasteur and
Merck, together with their teams throughout the world, to focus on
the development of new vaccines for Europe, which aim to extend
protection to other diseases and perfect existing vaccines in order
to improve the adoption, efficacy and tolerability of
vaccination.
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers,
develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’
needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with
seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines,
innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging
markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT:
SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more
than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to
immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world
leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest
range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The
company’s heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates
back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company
entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more
than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more
information, please visit:
or
Merck
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes “forward-looking
statements“ within the meaning of the safe harbor
provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not
limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger between
Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and operating
results, the combined company‘s plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not
historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current
beliefs and expectations of Merck‘s management and
are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual
results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking
statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual
results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking
statements: the possibility that the expected synergies from the
merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will
not be realized within the expected time period; the impact of
pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care
legislation; the risk that the businesses will not be
integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more
difficult to maintain business and operational relationships;
Merck‘s ability to accurately predict future market
conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of
Merck‘s patents and other protections for innovative
products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health
policies in the United States and internationally and the exposure
to litigation and/or regulatory actions. Merck undertakes no
obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Additional factors that could cause results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements
can be found in Merck‘s 2010 Annual Report on Form
10-K and the company‘s other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the
SEC‘s Internet site (
Sanofi Forward
Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not
historical facts. These statements include projections and
estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements
regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with
respect to future financial results, events, operations,
services, product development and potential, and statements
regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are
generally identified by the words
“expects“,
“anticipates“,
“believes“,
“intends“,
“estimates“,
“plans“ and similar expressions. Although
Sanofi‘s management believes that the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable,
investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and
statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of
which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of
Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the
forward-looking information and statements. These risks and
uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties
inherent in research and development, future clinical data and
analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory
authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when
to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be
filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions
regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the
availability or commercial potential of such products candidates,
the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved
will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial
success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group‘s
ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well as
those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC
and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under
“Risk Factors“ and
“Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements“ in Sanofi‘s annual report
on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2010. Other than
as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or
statements.
Merck Contacts: Media: Pam Eisele, +1-908-423-5042; Investor: Carol Ferguson, +1-908-423-4465; Sanofi Pasteur Contacts: Global Media: Pascal Barollier, +33-(0)4-37-37-50-38, pascal.barollier at sanofipasteur.com
Tags: France, July 7, Lyon, Sanofi Pasteur
