SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Sanofi said on Tuesday it had stopped supplying Praluent, a popular cholesterol drug jointly developed by the French pharmaceuticals firm and its partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals,
Sanofi Halts Supply of Praluent Cholesterol Drug to China Amid Demand Surge
Sanofi's Supply Challenges and Alternatives
SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Sanofi said on Tuesday it had stopped supplying Praluent, a popular cholesterol drug jointly developed by the French pharmaceuticals firm and its partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, in China due to limited availability.
Reasons for Supply Halt
"The surge in demand has led to limited availability in China, and some other countries," Sanofi said in a statement sent to Reuters, adding "at the moment Praluent's supply in China has already stopped."
It didn't say when supply would resume.
Sanofi said it had "invested to strengthen global production of Praluent, to meet a rising global demand which accelerated sharply over the past two years".
Available Alternatives for Patients
The company said clinical experts had found there were other medicines on China's National Reimbursement Drug List that were "safe and appropriate" for patients currently being treated with Praluent and it was working with healthcare providers in China to "ensure a smooth transition for patients".
Sanofi is the latest foreign drugmaker to stop supplying popular medications to China. Merck suspended shipments of its blockbuster human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil to the country in February, citing weak discretionary spending.
(Reporting by Andrew SilverEditing by Mark Potter)
