On the occasion of the inauguarating the “French-German Week for Science and Alumni”, Sanofi announced its involvement in two major Franco-German projects in the field of healthcare.

The ceremony was held at the Institut de France, in the presence of the French Minister for Higher Education and Research Geneviève Fioraso and the German Federal Minister of Education and Research Johanna Wanka, Sanofi announced the signature of memoranda of understanding towards the creation of the French-German Advanced Translational drug discovery Centre (FGATC), and its support to the Paris-Berlin Virchow-Villermé University Centre for Public Health.

"As this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of French-German friendship and as a Group with deep roots in both France and Germany, Sanofi is proud to contribute to the move towards the creation of the French-German Advanced Translational drug discovery Centre, which should accelerate biomedical discoveries and transform them into new therapies for the benefit of patients,” said Dr Elias Zerhouni, president, Global R&D, Sanofi. "We are also very pleased to support a world class academic partnership and are convinced that the new Paris-Berlin Virchow-Villermé University Centre for Public Health will drive forward public health knowledge, which is a key issue for all governments."

The French-German Advanced Translational drug discovery Centre is a unique project of publicprivate partnership, in which Sanofi would partner with  INSERM, the University of Strasbourg, the Mannheim Medical Faculty of the University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ). The  objective would be to share resources and experiences across the various entities in order to translate biomedical research into new therapies. The location would be planned on two sites in Strasbourg and Heidelberg/ Mannheim.

The Paris-Berlin Virchow-Villermé University Centre for Public Health will bring together two prestigious universities: the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Sorbonne Paris Cité. It will provide innovative academic courses in the field of public health and facilitate exchange programmes for researchers and students. Sanofi’s contemplated contribution would provide funding of two academic chairs for five years for a total budget of two million euros.

Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’ needs. The company has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme.