Sanofi Sells 50% Stake in Opella to CD&R, Establishing Independent Global Consumer Healthcare Champion

(IN BRIEF) Sanofi has completed the sale of a 50.0% controlling stake in its consumer healthcare division, Opella, to CD&R, creating a global leader in consumer healthcare. Sanofi retains a significant 48.2% stake, while Bpifrance will hold 1.8% and join Opella’s Board. With an annual portfolio of iconic brands like Allegra, Doliprane, and Dulcolax, Opella serves more than half a billion consumers worldwide. This marks a strategic shift for Sanofi, now focused solely on biopharmaceuticals, while Opella embarks on a new journey of growth in the consumer healthcare sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 1-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Sanofi has successfully closed the sale of a 50.0% controlling stake of its consumer healthcare business, Opella, to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R), creating an independent global leader in consumer healthcare. Sanofi will retain a significant shareholding with a 48.2% stake, while Bpifrance will hold a 1.8% stake in Opella and join its Board. The transaction has been completed on the terms previously disclosed, with Sanofi receiving total net cash proceeds of approximately €10 billion.

This deal marks a pivotal moment in Sanofi’s strategic transformation, allowing the company to focus solely on its biopharmaceutical operations. Sanofi is now a pure-play biopharma, concentrating on pushing the boundaries of science and leveraging groundbreaking research to deliver innovative medicines and vaccines.

Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi, commented, “We are confident in Opella’s future as an independent champion in the consumer healthcare space. Built on its strong teams, deep consumer insights, and global reach, Opella is well-positioned for long-term growth. With CD&R’s extensive expertise in the consumer and healthcare sectors, along with its commitment to people and sustainability, Opella is set for continued success. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for a company we believe in.”

Eric Rouzier, Partner and Head of European Healthcare, CD&R, added, “This is a fantastic opportunity for CD&R to support Opella in its mission to become a global leader in consumer health, with a strong foundation in France. Opella’s powerful brands and talented people, combined with CD&R’s experience in consumer health, will enable us to accelerate its growth, both in France and internationally. We are committed to supporting Opella in delivering value to employees, consumers, and patients worldwide.”

Julie Van Ongevalle, President and Chief Executive Officer, Opella, said, “This is an exciting milestone in Opella’s journey. Through significant transformations, we have become one of the largest global players in consumer healthcare, serving over half a billion consumers worldwide. We are now ready to unlock Opella’s full potential, drive value creation, and become a leader in the fast-evolving consumer healthcare market.”

Headquartered in France, Opella employs over 11,000 people and operates in 100 countries, with 13 advanced manufacturing sites and four research and innovation development centers. With a portfolio of well-known brands like Allegra, Doliprane, and Dulcolax, Opella is already the third-largest player globally in the over-the-counter (OTC) and vitamins, minerals, and supplements (VMS) markets. The company is positioned to capitalize on long-term trends, including an aging population, rising income levels, and increased focus on health and well-being.

About Sanofi
We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. Our team, across the world, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions. Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY.

Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, business transformations, objectives, intentions, and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, “potential”, “outlook”, “guidance” and similar expressions. Although Sanofi’s management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, those inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the fact that product candidates if approved may not be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Sanofi’s ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, to complete related transactions and/or obtain regulatory clearances, risks associated with intellectual property and any related pending or future litigation and the ultimate outcome of such litigation, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, volatile economic and market conditions, cost containment initiatives and subsequent changes thereto, and the impact that global crises may have on us, our customers, suppliers, vendors, and other business partners, and the financial condition of any one of them, as well as on our employees and on the global economy as a whole. More specifically regarding the transaction described above, these risks and uncertainties include among other things the possibility that the expected strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities from the transaction may not be realized, or may take longer to realize than expected, or potential adverse reactions to the proposed transaction by customers, suppliers, strategic partners or key Sanofi or Opella employees. The risks and uncertainties also include the uncertainties discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in Sanofi’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Sanofi Sells 50% Stake in Opella to CD&R, Establishing Independent Global Consumer Healthcare Champion

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