Sanofi Pasteur is the first vaccine manufacturer in the world to roll out innovative GS1 bar codes on commercially available vaccine products
TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), is pleased to announce that it is adding the GS1 2D DataMatrix bar code symbology to its vaccines manufactured and sold in Canada. This includes Canada's only billion-dollar biotech product - the world's only five-component acellular pertussis (whooping cough) combination vaccines (Pediacel®, Quadracel®, Adacel®, Adacel®-Polio). Sanofi Pasteur is the first vaccine developer and manufacturer in the world to implement the GS1 bar code system on commercially available vaccines, a key component of Canada's National Immunization Strategy. This technology will enable automated entry of vaccine product, lot number and expiry information into immunization registries and patient records eliminating data entry errors which are as high as 20% in registries relying on manual input.
"As a leader in our industry, we are committed to adopting innovative solutions to support Canada's national immunization strategy. The use of GS1 bar code on products that we manufacture in Canada is one step towards having more accurate immunization records," stated Mark Lievonen, President of Sanofi Pasteur Limited. "This is about improving the healthcare system by easing the burden on our doctors and nurses by making it easier to compile and view crucial information to ensure safe vaccine use" concluded Mr. Lievonen.
Canada's National Immunization Strategy (NIS) is a comprehensive strategy elaborated to meet Canada's immunization needs. It includes: ensuring access to vaccines, program safety and effectiveness, the security of vaccine supply, and improving Canada's ability to provide rapid and effective national interventions in emergency situations. Immunization traceability is an essential part of the success of this strategy and a top priority for the Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) Automated Identification of Vaccines Projects (AIVP).
Sanofi Pasteur is a member of the AIVP Advisory Task Group, a collaborative effort co-chaired and established by the PHAC that brings together all stakeholders groups in the area of immunization to support the use of product identification based on global standards. The GS1 standard will help optimise the tracking and administration of vaccines at point-of-care by providing complete and accurate information through a simple bar code scan. With this information, the PHAC will be able to obtain and track accurate immunization rates for Canadians.
"Canada has been ahead of the curve, working on improving the identification of vaccines since 1999, and we are finally beginning to see the fruits of our labour. There are many stakeholders involved and having everyone on board is crucial for the implementation of global traceability standards," said Dr. John Spika, Director General, Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Infectious Diseases (CIRID), PHAC. "We commend Sanofi Pasteur for their leadership and encourage all other stakeholders to follow suit to help build accurate and complete national immunization records for the benefit of public health," concluded Dr. Spika.
"Sanofi Pasteur supports the PHAC's objectives and their leadership in bringing these global standards forward. Accurate and complete immunization records represent a powerful tool for public health. It is the only way to really know for which diseases we are properly immunized against, and for which ones we are not," added Dr. Robert Van Exan, Director of Immunization Policy, Sanofi Pasteur Limited and Co-Chair of the AIVP.
About the GS1 Bar Code
The GS1 bar code applied to vaccines will contain variable data, including the vaccine's unique Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and its lot number, making it identifiable worldwide. The GTIN is provided by GS1 Canada, a not-for-profit organization and member of GS1, the world's leading supply chain standards organization. This format is increasingly the bar code of choice because of its ability to provide a significant amount of information on a small surface while being resilient to frequent handling.
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us
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, 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" 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, the uncertainties 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 that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such products candidates, the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well as those 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, 2010. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.
Image with caption: "Sanofi Pasteur vaccine with GS1 2D Datamatrix bar code (CNW Group/SANOFI PASTEUR)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120207_C9764_PHOTO_EN_9672.jpg
Nancy Simpson
Director, Communications
416-667-2955
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