By Jason Chow
PARIS--French drug maker Sanofi SA (SNY) said on Friday that it
gained approval from Japanese authorities to market its new Toujeo
diabetes drug.
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare granted
authorization for the insulin drug under the trade name Lantus XR.
The same drug is sold under the Toujeo name in the U.S. and
Europe.
Sanofi has long hoped that Toujeo would eventually replace the
revenue generated by its older Lantus diabetes drug. Lantus
accounted for almost a fifth of the company's total sales in the
most recent quarter but has been under pricing pressure in the
crucial U.S. market. Lantus is also set to go off patent later this
year.
Toujeo is currently available in the U.S., Germany, Denmark and
the Netherlands. The company expects more countries to approve the
drug "in the coming months."
Diabetes is one of the world's biggest drug markets, generating
more than $38 billion in yearly sales, according to
EvaluatePharma.
-Write Jason Chow at jason.chow@wsj.com
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