Sanofi To Retain Toulouse R&D Site

Under pressure from unions and the French government, Sanofi, France’s largest drugmaker, has decided not to close a research site in Toulouse, France, where it employs about 640 scientists. The firm had been contemplating shuttering the site as part of a cost-reduction plan for its home country. Sanofi expects to change the site’s role, however. Options being considered include developing a technology services business, spinning off drug discovery activities, and housing local start-ups. The firm will continue with its plan to consolidate R&D in Paris, Lyon, and Strasbourg and transform its Montpellier R&D site into a group development center.