BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and its U.S. consumer healthcare division Chattem announced today that Nasacort® Allergy 24HR Nasal Spray is now available over-the-counter (OTC) in the U.S. to relieve the full range of seasonal and year-round nasal allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion, in adults and children 2 years of age and older. Nasacort Allergy 24HR is the first and only medicine in its class to be available at full prescription strength without the need for a prescription.
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"Now that Nasacort Allergy 24HR is available over-the-counter, the millions of people who suffer from seasonal and year-round allergies have easier access to the gold standard treatment for nasal allergy symptoms," said Zan Guerry, Chief Executive Officer, Chattem.
More than 60 million Americans suffer from seasonal and year-round hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies. Symptoms of nasal allergies, which include sneezing, itchy nose, runny nose and nasal congestion, can lead to a major disruption in the quality of life for both adults and children. Nasal allergies can interfere with sleep, outdoor activities, and for children, their performance in school.
Nasacort is part of the most effective class of medicine for the treatment of hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies, and the only medicine in this class available OTC. It works differently than other over-the-counter treatments to relieve the full range of nasal allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion, by stopping more of the chemical responses that cause those symptoms.
"The launch of Nasacort Allergy 24HR represents our long-standing commitment to helping individuals living with allergies," said Anne Whitaker, President North America Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi US. "This milestone builds on our heritage in the allergy category and our expertise in prescription to over-the-counter switches as we continue to expand our global consumer healthcare organization."
Nasacort received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to switch from prescription to OTC on October 11, 2013, and is now available on retail shelves nationwide. For more information, visit www.nasacort.com.
About Sanofi
Sanofi, an integrated global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
Sanofi is the holding company of a consolidated group of subsidiaries and operates in the United States as Sanofi US, also referred to as sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. For more information on Sanofi US, please visit http://www.sanofi.us or call 1-800-981-2491.
About Chattem
Chattem, Inc. is the U.S. consumer healthcare division of Sanofi. Founded in 1879 as the Chattanooga Medicine Company, Chattem is now one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of branded consumer healthcare products in the United States. With more than 30 well-known brands, including ACT® Fluoride Mouth Rinse, Allegra®, Cortizone-10®, Gold Bond®, Icy Hot®, Nasacort® Allergy 24HR, and Rolaids®, Chattem's products are medicine cabinet staples in millions of homes. For more information, please visit www.chattem.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the absence of guarantee that the product candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, the impact of cost containment policies and subsequent changes thereto, the average number of shares outstanding as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2012. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.
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SOURCE Sanofi US