Content about Paris

PARIS — French drug maker Sanofi has sold its skin care business to Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Sanofi said.

Sanofi said the $425 million sale of its dermatology business, Dermik, would allow it to focus on its core businesses. Valeant’s business is much more focused on dermatology, as well as neurology, than Sanofi’s is.

PARIS — General Mills now has a 51% stake in Yoplait S.A.S. and a 50% interest in a related entity that holds the worldwide Yoplait brands, the company announced Friday.

General Mills acquired the ownership stakes from Europe-based private equity firm PAI Partners and Sodiaal, the largest dairy cooperative in France, for about $1.2 billion. With this transaction, Yoplait will be governed by a supervisory board with representation from General Mills and Sodiaal, as the remaining ownership stakes in both entities will continue to be held by Sodiaal.

NEW YORK — L'Oréal USA said it will utilize Apple's new mobile advertising platform for its upcoming L'Oréal Paris campaign.

PARIS — French drug maker Sanofi has entered a collaboration with Audion Therapeutics to develop treatments for hearing loss.

Sanofi announced the collaboration Thursday, which will utilize technology that Audion co-founder Albert Edge developed at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in the Eaton-Peabody Laboratory. Sanofi will have the option of licensing technology rights from Audion related to research conducted under the collaboration.

PARIS — A court in France has ordered generic drug maker Mylan to pay French drug maker Ipsen $24 million for allegedly misleading marketing of a drug, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported that Mylan had allegedly marketed the drug Vitalogink as a generic version of Ipsen’s Tanakan rather than as a “therapeutic equivalent.” Both drugs are derived from ginkgo biloba and are used to improve memory.

Mylan has said it will appeal the decision, Bloomberg reported.

PARIS — An investigational drug helped patients survive longer when combined with chemotherapy as a second-line treatment for colorectal cancer that had spread to other parts of the body, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial announced by French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis and U.S.-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

The phase-3 trial combined the drug Zaltrap (aflibercept) with a combination of the chemotherapy drugs folinic acid (leucovorin), 5-fluorouracil and irinotecan, also known as the FOLFIRI regimen.

NEW YORK — The majority of lipstick-wearing beauty mavens believe that lipstick improves their confidence, and many men associate women in red lipstick with such positive sentiments as being sexy and confident, according to the findings of a recent survey commissioned by L'Oréal Paris.

The "Lipstick Diaries" survey was commissioned by L'Oréal Paris and conducted online by Harris Interactive of nearly 2,300 men and women between March 25 and 29.

According to the survey, she said:

PARIS — Sanofi-Aventis said it completed its exchange offer for drug maker Genzyme, which expired just before midnight April 1.

All 224,528,469 shares of Genzyme common stock were validly tendered, which is represented by 84.6% of common stock and 77% of shares on a diluted basis.

Last month, the board of directors of Genzyme unanimously recommended that shareholders accept French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis’ $74-per-share buyout offer.

PARIS — French beauty company L'Oréal Paris has tapped French model Madame Ines de la Fressange to join its family of brand ambassadors.

She joins the L'Oréal Paris family of spokeswomen, which includes Milla Jovovich, Beyonce Knowles, Diane Keaton, Diane Kruger, Evangline Lilly, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Andie MacDowell, Julianna Margulies, Aimee Mullins, Freida Pinto, Gwen Stefani and Kerry Washington.

PARIS — Allegra is less than a week away from reaching shelves on March 4, and with the latest allergy switch will come a significant number of Rx allergy sufferers this summer.


PARIS — French beauty company L'Oréal has announced the departure of Lindsay Owen-Jones, the company's longtime chairman.

The company stated that Owen-Jones wished to complete the transfer of responsibilities to his successor, Jean-Paul Agon, before his 65th birthday on March 17, as planned and announced at the annual general meeting in 2005.

PARIS — Coty's Prestige division has signed an agreement with actor Paul Walker to be the new face of the Davidoff Cool Water fragrance advertising campaign that is slated to launch worldwide in July.

The agreement with Coty marks Walker's first foray into the fragrance market.