Enhancing Our R&D Strategy: Integrating Environmental Impact for Sustainable Innovation and Resilience

Sanofi’s Research and Development team plays an integral role in guiding product strategy, overseeing development from early research through commercialization in close collaboration with commercial and manufacturing teams. By integrating environmental considerations early in the product life cycle, the team ensures that sustainable processes are in place from the outset, helping to mitigate potential challenges.

Beyond product development, we recognize the growing impact of environmental factors on disease areas of interest. “Environmental factors now play a critical role in identifying future disease areas of interest and indications – particularly those that Sanofi is not currently addressing but may have the expertise to explore,” says Helen Merianos, Global Head of R&D Strategy and Portfolio Management at Sanofi.

A significant portion of the company’s R&D portfolio already focuses on conditions increasingly impacted by climate change –including diabetes, dermatology, respiratory conditions and oncology.  To build a sustainable pipeline and drive future innovation, we continuously evaluate new research investments and how environmental considerations can guide decision-making for product strategy and design processes – including the type of device, its environmental footprint and sustainable packaging.

We rely on robust studies to assess the impact of environmental factors on various diseases, gain insight on how climate change may affect specific indications within our R&D portfolio and pipeline and to help guide decisions about future investments and priorities.

For example, if research and data reveal a link between air pollution and sleep disturbances in patients with asthma or atopic dermatitis, Sanofi may explore the possibility to develop new treatments or enhance existing therapies.

In some cases, it’s possible that real-world evidence could identify additional benefits of marketed products beyond their current approvals, allowing the company to evaluate possible expanded therapeutic applications and discuss those findings with regulators. This ongoing learning process ensures that patient needs remain at the center of R&D decision-making.

“We are at a point where environmental influences are considered with other factors, such as physician preferences, payer expectations and patient feedback,” says Merianos. “These elements collectively shape our approach to R&D, ensuring that every decision is aligned with both scientific innovation and sustainability goals.”

Incorporating environmental considerations more strategically across the R&D portfolio could be a significant opportunity.  While project teams – composed of experts from various disciplines – are already focused on advancing medicines at different stages of development, a more structured approach at the portfolio level would enable better tracking and understanding of environmental factors.

Another major focus for us is harnessing new technologies to reinforce and accelerate the R&D process. “As one of the four strategic pillars of the company’s R&D strategy, we embed technology including artificial intelligence (AI) across the R&D value chain – from early-stage target identification to post-commercialization – we can holistically integrate diverse data sources, leading to more comprehensive insights, improved drug development efficiency and sustainable healthcare solutions,” added Merianos.

Traditionally, portfolio balance is assessed in terms of risk and opportunity, but there is now a growing need to systematically track environmental parameters across the portfolio given the increasing impact of climate change. Sanofi has recently implemented an assessment system that allows for a more structured evaluation of these factors. A substantial effort led by Mike Quigley, Sanofi’s Head of Research and Chief Scientific Officer, has already been undertaken to analyze the intersection of environmental factors and healthcare. His team has conducted extensive research to identify emerging health challenges driven by environmental changes, positioning the company to adopt a more sophisticated approach to inform strategic choices in this space.

“We also need to spend time understanding how environmental factors will shape future unmet medical needs,” says Merianos. For instance, air pollution is one of several environmental factors that has a direct and significant impact on multiple disease areas within the company’s portfolio. Currently, more than half of Sanofi’s portfolio and pipeline indications are expected to be affected by air pollution, particularly conditions  like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) and asthma, where strong evidence links pollution to disease exacerbation.

“With air pollution expected to worsen these conditions, it is crucial to pinpoint the most impactful elements affecting patient outcomes – such as quality of life, morbidity and mortality – and determine the most effective mechanisms to target,” says Merianos. Addressing these questions requires getting the right experts in the room – including environmental scientists, disease experts and key opinion leaders – to identify future unmet needs and translate them into concrete research opportunities. This structured approach helps bridge the gap between conceptual strategy and actionable research, guiding the identification of therapeutic targets and the development of innovative treatments.

As climate change continues to rise, its impact on health is becoming increasingly evident, affecting communities worldwide and necessitating urgent action. Incorporating environmental changes into R&D strategies is not just a necessity for sustainability, but a crucial step towards ensuring the best patient outcomes and a healthier future for all.