French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has said it will stockpile vaccines and other drugs as part of its plan to mitigate disruption to deliveries in the event of a "no deal" Brexit.

The company said that as of April 2019, it will begin to increase the amount of medicine stocks held in the UK from around 10 weeks' to 14 weeks' worth, "based on our own internal assumptions of potential delays around a 'no deal' scenario".

It said that uncertainty around the UK's negotiations to leave the EU had forced it to take action, as recommended by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations.

It comes after pharmaceutical industry leaders in the UK warned that medicine supplies could be disrupted or even run out.

Hugo Fry, managing director of Sanofi UK, said: "Patient safety is our main priority and we have made arrangements for additional warehouse capacity in order to stockpile our products, where global supply allows, in the UK and increase UK-based resource to prepare for any changes to customs or regulatory processes.


Image: Sanofi has a facility in Haverhill, Suffolk

"Sanofi is confident that its contingency plans will ensure that people in the UK can access the treatments they need after the UK leaves the European Union.

"Nevertheless, we have written to the health secretary and NHS chief executive today to advise the government and NHS of our actions."

Rival AstraZeneca is also planning an increase of drugs stockpiles in Europe by 20%, and Britain's largest drugmaker, GlaxoSmithKline, has said it is taking steps to secure the supply of its medicines and vaccines ahead of the UK's departure from the EU.

Image: AstraZeneca also plans to stockpile drugs for supply to Europe

The Department of Health declined to comment on Sanofi's plans.

The company has also said it will transfer 12 UK jobs from its Haverhill manufacturing facility in Suffolk to alternative sites in the EU by 2020, in order to maintain the supply of medicines into the region.

Mr Fry said: "We will be transferring qualified person release, quality control testing and label and packaging for all medicines destined for the EU... although we are doing all we can to mitigate redundancies where possible."

He said the transfer was necessary in order to comply with the EU regulatory requirement that medicines used in the region must be certified by a "qualified person" prior to release for sale or supply, and quality control tested within the EU.

Mr Fry added: "There will be no changes to Haverhill's current manufacturing operations and it will continue all other activities for medicines destined for markets outside the European Union.



"From the first day of Brexit, our obligation is to ensure that we can continue to supply our medicines to all patients who need them both in the UK and across the EU.

"In the absence of any transition agreement, the European Medicines Agency will deem the UK to be a 'third country'.

"To transfer these activities from the UK to the EU takes more than 12 months and it is inevitable that we had to pre-emptively make this decision to ensure there is no disruption for our patients."

Sanofi has a diverse portfolio providing prevention and treatment.

It recently reported half-yearly net income down 73.6% to €1.8bn (£1.6bn). Net sales were down 7.2% to €16.1bn (£14.3bn).

Reuters Healthcare Index ranks Sanofi as the world's 11th largest pharmaceutical company by its $108.9bn (£83bn) market capitalisation.

The company covers consumer healthcare, vaccines, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, oncology and rare diseases, with 124 products across 50 therapy areas.