Annual Report 2003 Aventis - Sanofi

Sales and Marketing
Turning Challenges Into Opportunities
An innovative product originating in Aventis laboratories,
Ketek is the fi rst of a new class of antibiotics
called ketolides and a revolutionary new treatment
for respiratory tract infections caused by
pathogens that are becoming increasingly resistant
to older antibiotics. On the market since 2001, Ketek
has been a classic example of overcoming the hurdles
of introducing a global product locally.
The Ketek story started back in 1987 when it was
developed by researchers in France. Clinical trials
were conducted in the late 1990s and EU approval
Coated Ketek tablets, produced at Aventis
in Kansas City, U.S.
was granted in 2001. Germany was the fi rst country
to launch in 2001, followed by Italy, Spain, France
and Latin America in 2002. In 2003, further important
Ketek approvals were granted in Turkey, Canada
and Japan. To date, Ketek has been used to treat
over 5 million people in nearly 40 countries. The
product’s performance in France, Mexico, Belgium,
Greece, Turkey and Finland has earned it the status
of being the most successful new antibiotic launch
in these countries, an achievement that would not
have been possible without the concerted efforts of
the team behind Ketek.
Thinking globally while acting locally
Preparing to launch Ketek in France, Europe’s largest
antibiotic market, the Ketek team saw challenges
mounting. New government regulations were en-
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