Sanofi announces launch of Verorab® (Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine) in the UK for pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies in all age groups

1.            Pre-exposure prophylaxis clinical trials of a 3-dose regimen of Verorab^® followed by a booster dose at 1 year in adults and children achieved an adequate immune response.¹

2.            Of those who had a booster dose at 1 year, 96.9% of vaccinated individuals maintained a protective antibody response for 10 years.¹

3.            Post-exposure phase 4 prophylaxis clinical trials showed individuals bitten by animals with rabies and treated with a 5-dose regimen of Verorab^® were all alive 3 years after post-exposure prophylaxis.¹

4.            Adverse reactions were moderate in intensity and most resolved within 1 to 3 days of their onset.¹

Reading, April 2024. Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY) has today announced the launch of Verorab^® (Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine) in the UK, an inactivated rabies vaccine indicated for pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies in all age groups.[1]

This launch is based on extensive clinical data from over 13,000 individuals.¹ Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine has been approved and widely used in more than 80 countries.[2] It is estimated that between 41 and 70 million individuals have received the vaccine since its first licensure in May 1985, in France.²

Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, but can be preventable with vaccination^[3]

Each year, an estimated 59,000 people worldwide die from rabies.[4] That’s one person every nine minutes of every day³, with approximately 95% of deaths occurring in Asia and Africa.^3,4,[5] Individuals travelling to these countries should be aware of the risk of rabies and take the appropriate precautionary measures.

Rebecca Catterick, UK and Ireland Sanofi Vaccines General Manager, said:

“Rabies is a fatal, travel-related vaccine-preventable disease. The availability of Verorab^® in the UK provides an effective immunisation option for those travelling to high-risk countries, as well as a treatment for post-rabies exposure.”

Joanna Lowry, Specialist Travel Nurse & Educator, said:

“I am always surprised by the number of British travellers I meet who are unaware of the risk of rabies. Increasing awareness and sharing education on preventative measures is crucial to help reduce the possibility of this devastating disease.”

Rabies in the UK is extremely rare,[6] and the last case of classical rabies acquired in the UK occurred more than a century ago.⁶

Rabies is primarily transmitted by the bite, scratch, or lick of a rabid animal, 99% of which are by dogs, but can also be other wildlife, such as foxes or bats.⁶

ENDS

About Verorab^® (Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine)

Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine is indicated for pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies in all age groups and should be given according to official recommendations.¹ It can be used for both primary and booster vaccination and pre-exposure prophylaxis.¹ Post-exposure prophylaxis should be initiated as soon as possible after suspected exposure to rabies, and must be performed before administration of vaccine or rabies immunoglobulins, when they are indicated.¹ Pre-exposure vaccination consists of intramuscular (IM) injections of Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine.¹ Post-exposure prophylaxis can be administered via IM or intradermal (ID) routes.¹

Most commonly observed side effects include pain at the injection site, a general feeling of discomfort or being unwell (malaise), and headache.¹ Injection site reactions (pain, erythema and swelling) were more common after an ID injection than an IM injection.¹ Pain was the most common injection site reaction for both administration routes.¹

Sanofi Inactivated Rabies Vaccine is available as a lyophilised powder and a solvent (sodium chloride) for suspension for injection, containing inactivated rabies virus, and is available with or without attached needles.¹

About Sanofi

We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and potentially life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the centre of our ambitions. Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY.

Contacts

Sanaz Ayoughi, UK & Ireland Sanofi Vaccines Communications Lead | +44 (0) 7753 717 109 | sanaz.ayoughi@sanofi.com