Sanofi is on the verge of concluding negotiations with the American investment fund CD&R to sell it 50% of its subsidiary Opella, responsible for marketing the famous Doliprane

This information was revealed on Sunday October 20 by the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Antoine Armand, on the social network X.

The Minister stated that the French government had obtained solid guarantees that Opella would maintain and develop its activities in France. In addition, a tripartite agreement has been reached between the French State, Sanofi and CD&R to ratify this partial sale. Opella manages over a hundred OTC brands worldwide, including Doliprane, a leading self-medication product.

In order to ensure that commitments in terms of employment, production and investment are met, the French government, through Bpifrance, will become a shareholder in Opella. This shareholding will enable the French government to safeguard the sector’s strategic interests.

When asked about this partnership, Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of Bpifrance, expressed his support for the move. In an interview with La Tribune, he recalled the key role played by the public investment bank in the healthcare sector, notably through its investments in chemist Seqens, which is currently building a plant to produce paracetamol in Isère, the active ingredient in Doliprane. Dufourcq also underlined the ambitions of Bpifrance, which plans to devote 10 billion euros to investments in the healthcare sector over the next few years.