Sanofi’s new paediatric six-in-one vaccine, the first in liquid form, has been recommended by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

The new vaccine will be marketed as Hexyon by Sanofi Pasteur MSD in western Europe and as Hexacima by Sanofi Pasteur in eastern Europe.

It confers protection against pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, diphtheria, poliomyelitis, tetanus and the HIB bacterium.

GSK’s Infanrix Hexa is currently the only six-in-one child vaccine on the market, with global revenues of £775m last year.

The EMA’s approval of Sanofi’s previous vaccine, Hexavac, was withdrawn after its effectiveness in protecting against hepatitis B was questioned.

According to Sanofi Pasteur, Hexyon has “a similar high immunogenicity profile for all antigens” to Infanrix Hexa, while its liquid formulation makes it more convenient for injection.

It will be used for primary and booster vaccination of infants aged six weeks to 24 months.

Jean-Paul Kress, President of Sanofi Pasteur MSD, said the recommendation “validates the clinical data supporting the vaccine’s effective and safe use for infants. Furthermore, its unique ready-to-use formulation will provide healthcare professionals with a simpler, more convenient vaccination process."

Olivier Charmeil, the head of Sanofi Pasteur, predicted the new vaccine would be a “key growth driver” for the company in 2013.

Sanofi Pasteur is donating a vaccine strain used for polio eradication to the World Health Organization (WHO) to produce oral polio vaccines (OPV).

The vaccines division of Sanofi is providing the original viral seed which is used to produce large volumes of OPV against the type 3 virus.

Olivier Charmeil, President and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur, says the donation is a “logical next step” in the division’s “unconditional support to OPV producers”.

Since its inception in 1988 by WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative reduced the number of polio cases across the globe by 99%.

Sanofi Pasteur has supported the Initiative for the last three decades and recently responded to a request from UNICEF by committing to provide 400 million doses of OPV for use in developing countries. The donation saw the amount of doses provided by Sanofi Pasteur exceed five billion doses of OPV to UNICEF.

“Sanofi Pasteur is a leading contributor to the fight against polio and committed supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative," added Sanofi Pasteur’s President.

WHO will now be in full control of the storage of the vaccine strain and its distribution to vaccine producers across the globe.

Sanofi Pasteur has appointed a new Chairman of the Board and CEO of Shantha Biotechnics, a recent Sanofi acquisition.

Dr Varaprasad Reddy, founder and historic Leader of Shantha Biotechnics, is to be Chairman of the Board, while Dr Harish Iyer will take over as the new CEO of the company.

Dr Iyer will report to Sanofi Pasteur President and CEO Olivier Charmeil. He said: “Shantha represents a key asset in Sanofi Pasteur’s strategy to address the need for high quality affordable vaccination in international markets.

“I would like to thank Dr Reddy for accepting his new position as Chairman of the Board. Through his vision, passion and dynamic entrepreneurial spirit, he has been paramount in both founding and growing Shantha.”

The company was founded by Dr Reddy in 1993. It is now one of India's most successful biotech ventures and was acquired by Sanofi Pasteur in 2009.

“Dr Reddy has demonstrated outstanding talent as a leader and is highly

regarded by Shantha employees. He will work with Dr Iyer, thus ensuring a smooth transition of Shantha's spirit into the new management organisation,” Olivier Charmeil added.

Dr Iyer brings over 15 years experience of biotechnology and biopharmaceutical R&D, and has held positions with Genentech, IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Biocon.