Oct 10 (Reuters) - Sanofi is closing in on a

deal to sell its consumer health unit for about 15 billion euros

($16.4 billion) to U.S. private equity firm Clayton Dubilier &

Rice (CD&R), a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The French pharmaceutical company has been planning to

spin off or sell its consumer unit to shore up new drug

development spending at its core business.

The development was first reported by Bloomberg News earlier

in the day.

In September, Bloomberg reported that Sanofi had received

two separate bids from CD&R and rival PAI Partners for the

Opella unit.

CD&R has kept away interest from rival PAI Partners for the

unit, Thursday's report said, citing people familiar with the

matter.

The deal could be announced in the coming days, the report

said.

Sanofi and CD&R did not immediately respond to Reuters

requests for comment.

Sanofi announced in October 2023 that it was reviewing

potential separation scenarios for its consumer healthcare

business, with a transaction in the fourth quarter at the

earliest.

($1 = 0.9145 euros)

(Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat and Dominique Patton;

Editing by Devika Syamnath)