Sanofi-aventis launched its new production units at the Le Trait site in a ceremony attended by Jean-Marie Aline, Mayor of Le Trait, Christophe Bouillon, Member of the French National Assembly for Seine-Maritime, Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of sanofi-aventis, and Philippe Luscan, senior vice-president for Industrial Affairs, sanofi-aventis.

The Le Trait manufacturing site specializes in producing high-tech sterile injectable products, primarily for export. Over the past 40 years, the site has invested in the most innovative technologies in order to meet patients’ needs and requirements of various international markets, in particular the United States and Japan. The investment in these new production units, one of the largest made on this site since its creation, represents 87 million euros over the past three years.

“Le Trait is one of many examples of sanofi-aventis’ desire to invest in France in order to be able to meet worldwide public health challenges,” said sanofi-aventis Chief Executive Officer Christopher A. Viehbacher. “A cutting-edge technological platform, the Le Trait site produces one million syringes a day and exports close to 90% of its production, 25% of which for the North American market.”

The state-of-the-art production lines will include new filling, inspection and packaging systems (part of the @live project – Lovenox Injectable Vaccines Extension) enabling the manufacturing plant to double its production of prefilled syringes to meet growing market demand for Lovenox (13% growth worldwide).

The investment also means that the site will further diversify its vaccine production, in partnership with Sanofi Pasteur. The site already manufactures the seasonal flu vaccine Vaxigrip, and from December 2009, will also handle packaging of an infant meningitis vaccine for the Japanese market, and production of the new intradermal flu vaccine Intanza starting in early 2010 .

Additionally, the new filling lines will further optimise the quality of the medicines manufactured on the site, through electron beam (or e-beam) sterilisation technology which ensures extremely fast decontamination of components.

The high volumes produced on the Le Trait site and constant pursuit of optimal quality and safety have enabled the site to acquire in-depth expertise in the injectables field and to excel in managing highly demanding and innovative processes. One of many innovative approaches is the eris safety system used on Lovenox syringes, which protects both health workers and patients against risks of contamination by accidental needle-stick injuries associated with inadequate post-injection handling and disposal of needles. Isolation technology, providing the product protection from operator contamination, is a further example of innovation on this trailblazing Le Trait site. This use of industrial technology borrowed from the nuclear sector underlines the very transverse vision of the Le Trait site in terms of innovation and an opening up to other sectors. This approach adapted to other business sectors is also evident in the setting up an operator-free handling process based on Renault’s automated technology.