(Reuters) - French drugmaker
Sanofi plans to spend 1 to 2 billion
euros ($1.4-2.7 billion) each year on acquisitions, its chief executive, Chris
Viehbacher, told Le Figaro newspaper.
Since
taking the helm five years ago, Viehbacher has sought to refill Sanofi's drug
pipeline, spending 24 billion euros on acquisitions - including on the takeover
of U.S. biotech firm Genzyme - to offset the loss of patents on top-selling drugs.
In
an interview with Le Figaro, Viehbacher said Sanofi had got over the worst of
its "patent cliff" in September and that sales were growing again,
driven by the company's seven priority platforms: diabetes, vaccines, emerging
markets, automedication, animal health, rare diseases and "other
innovative products."
"I'm satisfied with
Sanofi's current perimeter," Viehbacher said. "We will keep
reinforcing the growth platforms, to the tune of 1 to 2 billion euros per year
in acquisitions. But I don't think we should widen this perimeter."