Sanofi Reports Decline in Flu Vaccine Sales
- by Rishma Parpia
- Published
- Vaccines
Sanofi SA reported a decline in vaccine sales for the third quarter of 2025, citing reduced vaccination rates and increased pricing competition in Europe and the United States. The company’s legacy vaccine business dropped nearly eight percent to €3.36 billion (US$3.9 billion), while influenza and COVID-19 shot sales fell 17 percent to €1.53 billion (US$1.78 billion).1
Sanofi’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Hudson said the decline in sales matched company expectations, explaining that lower vaccination rates and intensified price competition drove the decrease. The company also faced pricing pressure in Germany, where rival manufacturers reduced prices.2 Thomas Triomphe, Sanofi’s head of vaccine research and development, said:
It’s early. We’re still in October. But I think it’s fair that with the first few weeks that we observed a little bit of vaccination rate on the soft side when it comes to flu vaccination, particularly in the U.S.”3
For the 2025–2026 season, Sanofi manufactures three influenza vaccines in the U.S., including Flublok, Fluzone, and Fluzone High-Dose licensed for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).4
Sanofi executives linked the low sales to a broader slowdown in U.S. vaccination rates. Some observers have reported that part of the reason vaccination rates are declining is that U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. restructured a federal vaccine advisory committee with new members who have taken a more stringent approach toward vaccine safety oversight and vaccine use recommendations. They have noted that tighter authorization standards implemented by the FDA for mRNA COVID shots have resulted in narrower access to COVID booster shots compared with previous years, contributing to lower sales of COVID shots and less of a demand for flu shots as well.5
European Commission Probed Sanofi Over Possible Antitrust Practices
In October 2025, the European Commission (EC) launched an investigation into Sanofi over potential anti-competitive behavior in the seasonal influenza vaccine market. EC officials carried out unannounced inspections at Sanofi sites in France and Germany as part of the inquiry. The EC said it suspects Sanofi may have used unfair tactics to limit competition in the flu vaccine sector.
Sanofi confirmed that investigators visited its offices on Sept. 29, 2025, stating that it believes it has complied with all regulations and will fully cooperate with authorities. The EC emphasized that the inspections represent only the first stage of the process and that Sanofi will have the opportunity to present its defense as the investigation proceeds.6
Non-Vaccine Growth Supports Sanofi’s Overall Revenue
While flu vaccine and COVID shot sales slowed, Sanofi saw growth in other areas of its business. BioSpace reported that sales of Beyfortus, its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for infants, rose 20 percent to €739 million (US$858 million) as it expanded to 40 countries saying the results exceeded market expectations.7
It is also reported that Sanofi’s total revenue grew 2.3 percent, driven by its popular anti-inflammatory drug Dupixent, which rose 26.2 percent to €4.2 billion (US$4.5 billion). Other new therapies, including Altuviiio for hemophilia and Ayvakit for rare diseases, increased 57 percent to €1 billion (US$1.08 billion).8
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