4. Sanofi-Aventis - Top 15 R&D Budgets

Who: Sanofi-Aventis

Based: France

2006 Pipeline Budget: $6.44 billion (€4.40B)

2007 Pipeline News: Sanofi-Aventis has been thus far unsuccessful [1] in gaining FDA approval for its potential blockbuster Acomplia in the U.S. Additionally, its Alzheimer's drug Xaliproden failed late-stage trials. However, Sanofi’s antidepressant saredutant passed its late-stage trials, setting up a schedule to file for approval in Europe and the U.S. next year, and the company has several promising entries [2] lined up for the hot vaccine market. Sanofi has 48 therapies in late-stage development and expects to file on 31 of them by the end of 2010.

Phase III
> Rimonabant (Acomplia [1]) - Type 2 diabetes
> NV1FGF (fibroblast growth factor) - Critical limb ischemia
> Eplivanserin, Volinanserin (5-HT2A antagonists) - sleep maintenance.
> Saredutant - Major depressive disorders and general anxiety disorders
> Amibegron - Major depressive disorders and general anxiety disorders
> Aflibercept [3] (VEGF Trap): Advanced ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, non-small cell lung cancer
> S-1 - Second-line treatment for pancreatic cancer
> Menactra Toddler - Meningococcal meningitis
> Low-dose H5N1 flu vaccine with adjuvant
> Dianicline - Smoking cessation
> Ilepatril - Blood pressure reduction and long-term cardiovascular and renal protection.

Full Pipeline Site: Link [4]