Sanofi CEO in Paris: No proof linking Dengvaxia to PH deaths

Sanofi CEO Olivier Brandicourt (Photo from the Sanofi website)

PARIS — Drugmaker Sanofi insists there’s no evidence of a link between the world’s first dengue vaccine and children’s deaths in the Philippines.

Paris-based Sanofi said Wednesday it lost €19 million ($23.46 million) in the fourth quarter on the vaccine as it bought back unused medicines, but doesn’t expect further related losses this year.

CEO Olivier Brandicourt called concerns about the vaccine “very worrisome” but said no problems were reported outside the Philippines.

He said: “We have absolutely no evidence that the vaccine has been linked to any deaths.”

Sanofi said in November that the vaccine could put people at risk of severe disease if they hadn’t previously been infected.

Philippines authorities say the deaths of three children may have “causal association” to the vaccine, and the government wants a refund from Sanofi.