Sanofi launches Impact® brand of medicines for low-income countries

Sanofi Global Health ⁠— a nonprofit unit of Sanofi set up in 2021⁠ — has launched Impact®, a new brand of standard of care medicines dedicated for nonprofit distribution in 40 of the world’s lower-income countries.

The Impact® brand includes 30 Sanofi medicines and covers a wide range of therapeutic areas, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis, malaria and cancer. Medicines include insulin, glibenclamide and oxaliplatin, the company said.

Sanofi has also established an Impact fund to support startup companies and other innovators that can deliver scalable solutions for sustainable healthcare in underserved regions.

Providing inclusive businesses financing and technical assistance, the fund will complement the Global Health Unit’s mission of leveraging global, regional and local investment to support the training of healthcare professionals and aiding communities in running sustainable care systems.

“The launch of the Impact® brand and our Impact Fund are our latest steps to make our medicines available and to help bring quality, sustainable healthcare to people in the world’s poorest countries,” commented Jon Fairest, Head of Sanofi’s Global Health Unit.

“But we know that we cannot do this alone, and so we are building partnerships at global, regional and local levels that will help to improve and establish health systems to reach our goal of a healthier, more resilient world.”

Sanofi Global Health, set up in April 2021, aims to increase access to healthcare through the distribution of medicines, and the building and bolstering of local healthcare systems in countries with among the lowest per capita GDP.

The company claims it is the first and only global initiative to provide access to such a broad portfolio of medicines in so many countries and across multiple therapeutic areas, while funding local support programmes and strengthening local inclusive businesses.

“At Sanofi, we believe we have a responsibility to make a difference for the health of those most in need, and we know we have the ability and the ambition to bring about lasting change,” said Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi.

“With critical medicines, relentless drive and impactful partnerships, we can take our innovation beyond the lab and use it to strengthen health systems and access to medicines for those most vulnerable communities of patients,” he added.

Earlier this year, Pfizer announced its intention to provide medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis to 45 of the world’s low- and some lower-middle-income countries as part of its Accord for a Healthier World programme.

picture credit HJBC/Shutterstock.com / written by By Caroline Peachey (European Pharmaceutical Review)