About Us

History of Innovation

Combination vaccines, those that protect against multiple diseases, are one of the strengths of Sanofi Pasteur's product range. They offer the advantage of simplifying vaccination schedules, decreasing the number of injections and the health-related costs.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, many innovative discoveries have been made in vaccines.

1907

Sera production1

1922

First tetanus vaccine2

1939

New application of the percutaneous reaction

1939

First use of the Mérieux tuberculin

1946

Anti-pertussis serum

1953

Yellow fever vaccine

1955

First Salk (inactivated) polio vaccine (injectable)3

1960

Lépine (inactivated) polio vaccine (injectable)

1962

First Sabin (attenuated) polio vaccine (oral)

1963

Tuberculin multipuncture ring

1968

Measles vaccine

1968

Influenza vaccine

1970

Rubella vaccine (human diploid origin)

1974

First group A Meningococcal vaccine

1975

First groups A+C Meningococcal vaccine

1975

Vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio (injectable)

1977

First rabies vaccine (human diploid origin)

1981

First plasmatic hepatitis B vaccine

1982

First injectable Salk polio vaccine (on Vero cells)

1985

First rabies vaccine (on Vero cells)4

1986

MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine

1987

Hepatitis B vaccine (based on genetic engineering)

1987

First Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine

1988

First oral Sabin polio vaccine (Vero cells)

1988

First typhoid vaccine (polysaccharides)

1992

DT acellular pertussis vaccine for adults5

1993

Vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whole cell) and Haemophilus influenzae type b

1993

First pentavalent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whole cell), poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (awarded the Galien Prize in 1994)

1996

Hepatitis A vaccine6

1997

First pentavalent vaccine with acellular pertussis

1998

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (acellular) and poliomyelitis vaccine

1999

Adult booster against tetanus, diphtheria, and polio

1907

First quadrivalent conjugate vaccine against meningococcal disease7

2005

Conjugate vaccine against meningococcal meningitis (A+C+W+Y)
Monovalent oral polio vaccine (type 1)

2007

H5N1 pandemic influenza vaccine (to anticipate a potential pandemic)

2008

Smallpox vaccine (to anticipate a potential bioterrorism attack)
First micro-needle vaccine against influenza

2009

A(H1N1) monovalent influenza vaccine

2010

First high-dose influenza vaccine, designed specifically for people 65 years of age and older8

2013

First hexavalent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (acellular), poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b and Hepatitis B vaccine9

2015

First dengue vaccine

2016

First recombinant protein-based influenza vaccine10

References:

  1. Institut Biologique Mérieux
  2. Institut Mérieux
  3. By Connaught Laboratories, bought by Institut Mérieux in 1989
  4. Merger of Institut Mérieux & Institut Pasteur Production created in 1973. Pasteur Vaccins is founded
  5. By Pasteur Mérieux Sérums & Vaccins, created in 1990.
  6. Pasteur Mérieux Connaught.
  7. By Aventis Pasteur, new name of Pasteur Mérieux Connaught after the merger of Rhône-Poulenc and Hoechst Life Sciences activities in 1999, to form a single company, Aventis.
  8. Fluzone HD Fact Sheet (Download)
  9. Sanofi Pasteur. Data on File.
  10. Sanofi completes acquisition of Protein Sciences Press Release (Find out more)