*

Sanofi could be "bit more" active with M&A in near future,

CFO

says

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Sanofi's R&D spending to see limited increase in 2025

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Beyfortus sales double, Dupixent sales miss estimates

(Recasts paragraphs 1-5 with detail on M&A, CFO comments on

U.S. vaccine regulation)

By Manas Mishra

Jan 30 - Sanofi said on Thursday it would buy

back 5 billion euros ($5.21 billion) in shares this year and

could be more active with acquisitions in the near term as the

drugmaker moves towards selling a large stake in its consumer

health unit.

The sale of Sanofi's controlling stake in consumer health

business Opella is expected to close in the second quarter at

the earliest, completing its transition into a pure-play drug

and vaccine manufacturer.

"We have always been very active in the M&A (mergers and

acquisitions) space. We may be a bit more in the near future due

to the fact that we have a strong balance sheet," CFO François

Roger said on a media call, but added that the company will

still take a balanced approach to deals.

Sanofi, one of the world's largest makers of vaccines by

sales, reported its quarterly earnings a day after Robert F.

Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's pick to lead the top U.S.

health agency, came under attack for his views on vaccines at a

Senate confirmation hearing. Kennedy is also scheduled to appear

in front of a Senate panel that oversees health on Thursday.

Roger said the company would "work with regulators and

lawmakers in the U.S. and around the world to make our medicine

and vaccines accessible to patients," without specifically

commenting on Kennedy's hearing.

Sanofi expects sales to grow by a mid-to-high single-digit

percentage in 2025 when adjusted for currency swings. It expects

a limited increase in its research and development spending in

2025 versus 2024 levels, Roger said.

R&D spending has increased as CEO Paul Hudson looks to boost

clinical trials for next-generation drugs. His spending plans

were initially met with a massive stock market slump in 2023,

but the shares have rebounded since.

The company's quarterly business operating income, excluding

one-off items, fell by 7.7% to 2.08 billion euros but met the

average analyst estimate in a poll posted on the company's

website.

Sales of Beyfortus, a new treatment to protect newborns from

a common respiratory virus, doubled to 841 million euros in the

fourth quarter, beating estimates of 648 million euros.

Sales of its blockbuster asthma drug Dupixent rose 16% to

3.46 billion euros but missed estimates of 3.61 billion euros.

The company said sales growth had been hit by fewer business

days in the quarter compared to prior periods.

($1 = 0.9604 euros)