Sanofi faces make-or-break verdict on big dengue vaccine bet

By Natalie Huet and Noëlle Mennella NEUVILLE-SUR-SAONE, France (Reuters) - Sanofi expects final clinical results for its vaccine against dengue by late September, the French drugmaker's project leader has told Reuters, and has already gambled on starting production despite some disappointing early trials data. Sanofi has invested more than one billion euros in the project and is hoping to become the first drugmaker to sell such a shot next year after two decades of research on the world's fastest-growing tropical disease, for which there is no preventative treatment. Sanofi Pasteur, the French drugmaker's vaccine unit, has made a big industrial bet: it started producing the vaccine last July to keep a lead over competitors and ensure it is ready to ship doses, assuming it finally gets approved by regulators. Sanofi is upbeat - but based on clinical trial results so far, many analysts believe approval is far from assured.



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