Mergers, Acquisitions, Alliances and Synergies Case Study

Case Title:

Sanofi-Synthelabo's Growth Strategies

Abstract:
Most of the leading pharma companies with declining research and development productivity and patent expirations, chose the path of mergers and acquisitions as a growth strategy. These companies, under pressure to grow and maintain their competitive edges followed the paradigm set by Pfizer, which acquired Pharmacia in 2002 to become the world's leading pharma company. With most of their best selling drugs on the verge of patent expiry, Sanofi-Synthelabo's (Sanofi) looked at merging or acquiring companies to grow and share the risks associated with its future product challenges. Such a deal was on the cards between Aventis and Sanofi and the merger was expected to give birth to the world's second largest drug company.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To understand the growth strategies of Sanofi, which was set up with an objective of being a discovery-led global pharmaceutical company.

Keywords : Mergers, Acquisitions, Alliances Case Study;Sanofi-Synthelabo's (Sanofi) growth strategies; Aventis Pharma; Research and development (R&D); Mergers and acquisitions; French pharmaceutical industry; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Generics business; Patents expiry; United States Food and Drug Administration; Plavix, Arixtra, Apotex; L'Oreal Group; Total Oil Company; Blockbuster drugs; Jean-Francois Dehecq; Alliances and joint ventures