Its ambitions are particularly high in Europe

Daiichi Sankyo hunt on the lands of Sanofi-Aventis. The number three Japanese of pharmacy announced a few days ago that his new antithrombotic oral, based on the édoxaban molecule, gave better results than enoxaparin sodium, the active ingredient in the Lovenox, Sanofi. Habs champion of the pharmacy, the second product (sales of 3 billion euros last year) is already undergoing a Novartis and Bayer's Xarelto generic competition, to engage in a competition fierce with the Japanese group.

Daiichi Sankyo is very determined to make the édoxaban its star drug. This product, currently in phase III clinical studies (the last before the marketing), to be launched in the Japan next year and could happen in Europe in 2012. The Group expectations in term of annual sales of at least $ 2 billion. In the field of hypertension, a new product is also scheduled for 2011: a triple base of olmesartan, the Daiichi Sankyo antihypertensive association. However, its sales would be lower (between 150 and 200 million euros in Europe), so that a competing drug from Novartis was denied reimbursement by France "insufficient clinical interest.

But all turnover is good to take. Because, as the other "big pharma", Daiichi Sankyo, which points to the nineteenth in the world of laboratories, is not spared by the fall of the patent. Pravastatin, against the excess of cholesterol, and the antibiotic levofloxacin may for example be legally copied in the United States. Remain protected by their patent the other two great products of Daiichi Sankyo: the antithrombotic prasugrel and antihypertensive olmesartan.

"We aim 1,150 billion yen EUR 10.3 billion fiscal 2012, 960 billion in 2009, sales for the fiscal year or an annual 6.2, greater than the 4.5 growth expected for the world market of Pharmacy", anticipates Takeshi Ogita, one of the leaders of the group born in 2005 from the merger of Sankyo and Daiichi. The means of achieving such an ambitious objective The adoption of a "business model" hybrid, combining innovation, to maintain mature markets, and generic drugs, to be present in emerging countries.

Beyond its strong presence in cardiovascular and metabolism, Daiichi Sankyo has invested in the treatment of cancer by taking control of the German company U3 Pharma, two years ago, and by building a partnership with Morphosys, another biotech to German. The most advanced project is preparing to enter phase III clinical studies in partnership with ArQule, a young shoot of Massachusetts.

Foothold in Scandinavia

But its most important external growth operation is the acquisition of Ranbaxy, generics specialist. The group chaired by Joji Nakayama did not hesitate to spend $ 5 billion in 2008 to redeem the first Indian laboratory and strengthen in growing economies. Overall, Daiichi Sankyo now wants to do more than 60 of its sales outside the Japan by 2015, compared to 45. Its ambitions are particularly high in Europe. "We aim EUR 1.2 billion of sales in 2012, compared to 630 million in 2010." We expect to enter on the Hungarian market and develop in Russia and Poland. "Our molecule édoxaban we will also introduce us in Scandinavia", anticipates Reinhard Bauer, boss of the Europe area.