Garijo’s Plan to Revamp Sanofi: R&D Cleanup, More M&A, and a China Push Explained

New CEO Belén Garijo unveiled a revamp plan focused on R&D cleanup, more M&A, and a China push three months after taking over Sanofi in May 2026.

Garijo is streamlining Sanofi’s late-stage R&D pipeline, killing several underperforming candidates (amlitelimab, itepekimab, balinatunfib) and emphasizing scientific rigor, unmet medical need, and long-term value.

She is appointing a new R&D chief (Paulo Fontoura), reshaping the executive team, and promoting a more agile, performance-driven culture without immediate large-scale restructuring but with ongoing cost-efficiency initiatives.

Sanofi is upgrading its 2026 sales outlook thanks to strong Dupixent demand and plans to use a sizable M&A war chest—up to around €15–25 billion—to target strategic deals in immunology, rare diseases, and vaccines.

The China push includes expanding the local footprint, leveraging a Suzhou R&D center and Beijing manufacturing site, and appointing vaccines head Thomas Triomphe to lead China expansion, aligning with geographic diversification and higher-margin biologics growth.