PARIS, June 15 (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis's Multaq drug for treating irregular heartbeat, seen as a key product for the company's growth, received an improved score in an assessment by French authorities, newspaper La Tribune reported.
Multaq was judged 'significant' in terms of the medical service it provided by the French transparency commission, La Tribune said in an article published on its website.
The verdict is an improvement on a 'moderate' score the drug received in March.
La Tribune said the commission's judgement opened the way for negotiations on price with the health ministry.
The paper quoted Sanofi as saying it would aim to start selling the drug by the end of the year.
A spokesman for Sanofi could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters.
Analysts say Multaq, which won approval from European medicines regulators in September, is a key growth driver for Sanofi to see it through years when patents expire on multi-billion euro drugs like cancer treatment Taxotere and blood thinner Plavix.
(Reporting by Helen Massy-Beresford; Editing by Erica Billingham)
((helen.beresford@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 56 83; Reuters Messaging: helen.beresford.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: SANOFI/MULTAQ
(Recasts with official confirmation)
PARIS, June 15 (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis's Multaq drug for treating irregular heartbeat, a key product for the company's growth, received an improved score in an assessment, France's transparency commission said in a statement.
Multaq was judged 'significant' in terms of the medical service it provided by the French transparency commission. The verdict is an improvement on a 'moderate' score the drug received in March.
Newspaper La Tribune, which had earlier reported the commission's judgement on its website, said it opened the way for negotiations on price with the health ministry.
The paper quoted Sanofi as saying it would aim to start selling the drug by the end of the year.
A Sanofi spokesman later clarified that the drug is already on sale in countries including Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Ireland and Canada.
Analysts say Multaq, which won approval from European medicines regulators in September, is a key growth driver for Sanofi to see it through years when patents expire on multi-billion euro drugs like cancer treatment Taxotere and blood thinner Plavix.
Shares in Sanofi-Aventis closed 0.7 percent higher at 50.93 euros, compared with a CAC-40 index up 1 percent.
(Reporting by Helen Massy-Beresford; Editing by Erica Billingham and David Holmes) Keywords: SANOFI/ (helen.beresford@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 56 83; Reuters Messaging: helen.beresford.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Multaq was judged 'significant' in terms of the medical service it provided by the French transparency commission, La Tribune said in an article published on its website.
The verdict is an improvement on a 'moderate' score the drug received in March.
La Tribune said the commission's judgement opened the way for negotiations on price with the health ministry.
The paper quoted Sanofi as saying it would aim to start selling the drug by the end of the year.
A spokesman for Sanofi could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters.
Analysts say Multaq, which won approval from European medicines regulators in September, is a key growth driver for Sanofi to see it through years when patents expire on multi-billion euro drugs like cancer treatment Taxotere and blood thinner Plavix.
(Reporting by Helen Massy-Beresford; Editing by Erica Billingham)
((helen.beresford@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 56 83; Reuters Messaging: helen.beresford.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: SANOFI/MULTAQ
(Recasts with official confirmation)
PARIS, June 15 (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis's Multaq drug for treating irregular heartbeat, a key product for the company's growth, received an improved score in an assessment, France's transparency commission said in a statement.
Multaq was judged 'significant' in terms of the medical service it provided by the French transparency commission. The verdict is an improvement on a 'moderate' score the drug received in March.
Newspaper La Tribune, which had earlier reported the commission's judgement on its website, said it opened the way for negotiations on price with the health ministry.
The paper quoted Sanofi as saying it would aim to start selling the drug by the end of the year.
A Sanofi spokesman later clarified that the drug is already on sale in countries including Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Ireland and Canada.
Analysts say Multaq, which won approval from European medicines regulators in September, is a key growth driver for Sanofi to see it through years when patents expire on multi-billion euro drugs like cancer treatment Taxotere and blood thinner Plavix.
Shares in Sanofi-Aventis closed 0.7 percent higher at 50.93 euros, compared with a CAC-40 index up 1 percent.
(Reporting by Helen Massy-Beresford; Editing by Erica Billingham and David Holmes) Keywords: SANOFI/ (helen.beresford@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 56 83; Reuters Messaging: helen.beresford.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.