Sanofi obesity drug faces tough EU safety review

(Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency safety assessment comes a month after a U.S. advisory panel recommended the drug should not be approved in the world's biggest market because it may increase depression and suicidal thinking.




That decision prompted France's Sanofi to withdraw its pending application to sell the medicine in the United States, dealing a major blow to what had been its biggest new drug hope.


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French CAC Index Gains, Led by Shares of BNP Paribas, Sanofi-Aventis

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks rose, paced by BNP
Paribas SA and Sanofi-Aventis SA.

Gaz de France SA also advanced. Electricite de France SA,
Europe's biggest power generator, may buy gas assets from Suez SA
as part of Suez's merger with Gaz de France SA, Les Echos
reported, citing a source it didn't name.


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Bayer's blood-clot drug beats Lovenox in key study

(Reuters) - The news confirms the German drugmaker's leadership in the multibillion-dollar race to bring a new class of oral anticoagulants to market.




Results of a large Phase III trial showed only 9.6 percent of patients given rivaroxaban experienced venous thromboembolism , or blood clots, following total knee replacement against 18.9 percent of those on Sanofi-Aventis SA's Lovenox.


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Total says still plans to sell Sanofi stake soon

(Reuters) - Its comment came after Sanofi and its U.S. partner Bristol-Myers Squibb on Tuesday won a U.S. trial upholding a patent on Sanofi's blockbuster bloodthinner Plavix.



"Our position on Sanofi has not changed since our annual general meeting last month," a spokeswoman at Total said, giving no further details on the timing of a sale.


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