Sanofi Names New Head of Diabetes and Cardio Businesses

Sanofi has appointed Stefan Oelrich as executive vice president diabetes and cardiovascular (DCV), effective immediately. In this role, Oelrich will be a member of the executive committee.

Oelrich has served as head of Sanofi’s global diabetes franchise since June 2016 and as acting head of the DCV North America business since July. He will continue to lead both functions ad interim until successors are named.

He previously served as DCV Europe region head & Sanofi Europe coordinator and was heavily involved in establishing the DCV global business unit. Between 2011 and 2015, he served as general manager in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

Oelrich is taking the helm as Sanofi’s diabetes and cardiovascular franchise with two key products facing increased competition. Diabetes is Sanofi’s largest product franchise led by its-top-selling product, Lantus (insulin-glargine), which had 2016 sales of EUR 5.71 billion ($6.66 billion) and which now faces generic competition. Key for Sanofi going forward is new product development in its diabetes franchise, which includes Toujeo, a next-generation long-acting insulin, to offset generic competition ofLantus.

In its cardiovascular franchise, Sanofi is doing battle with its potential blockbuster anti-cholesterol drug, Praluent (alirocumab)‎, a monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), a new class of anti-cholesterol drugs, and which is competing against Amgen’s and Astella Pharma’s Repatha (evolocumab), another PCSK inhibitor.

Source: Sanofi

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