STAT+: European antitrust regulators probe Sanofi for allegedly disparaging a rival flu vaccine

The European Commission launched an investigation into Sanofi on March 18, 2024, for allegedly violating antitrust regulations. The probe centers on a "misleading" campaign by Sanofi that purportedly disparaged CSL Seqirus's Fluad vaccine, the only rival flu vaccine recommended for vulnerable patients. The European Commission stated that Sanofi's campaign, which targeted healthcare professionals in Germany and France, presented Fluad as inferior to Sanofi's Efluelda vaccine. Sanofi holds a dominant market position in both Germany and France, according to the Commission. The campaign also allegedly contradicted national vaccine recommendations in several EU member states by suggesting weaker evidence for Fluad's efficacy compared to Efluelda. Sanofi's Efluelda vaccine is specifically designed to offer enhanced protection against influenza for individuals over 60 years old.