Sanofi Pasteur Brings Fluzone® Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour to Seattle-area Walgreens to Raise Awareness About Importance of Annual Flu Immunization and Vaccine Options for Adults

SWIFTWATER, Pa. and KIRKLAND, Wa., Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi Pasteur will bring its Fluzone^® Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour to Seattle on Monday, Sept. 24, as part of its cross-country efforts to raise awareness about the seriousness of influenza and the various vaccine options that are available for adults 18 through 64 years of age this flu season.

In an effort to help improve flu immunization rates, Sanofi Pasteur's Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour will visit the Walgreens at 12405 NE 85^th St. in Kirkland for a flu clinic event. The event intends to educate adults about available vaccine options and encourage annual influenza immunization.

"The one thing we know about flu season is that it's unpredictable, and the single most important thing people can do to help prevent getting or spreading the flu is to get their annual flu vaccination," said Robbie Jacobs, Walgreens market pharmacy director. "These events are an opportunity to talk with customers and others in the community about influenza and which vaccine option may be right for them. Helping protect more people from the flu is one of the ways we aim to help customers get, stay and live well."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone six months of age and older should receive an annual influenza vaccination, yet only 36 percent of adults in Washington 18 through 64 years of age were immunized during the 2010-2011 flu season, leaving far too many unprotected and at risk for spreading the virus to those at high-risk like young children and older adults.

Results from a recent national telephone survey of 663 adults revealed these low rates highlight a disconnect between fear and action, as two out of every three (67 percent) adults 18 through 64 years of age said if they had influenza, they fear spreading the virus to their loved ones, yet three in five (61 percent) adults said they are not vaccinated annually.

The survey also showed that 53 percent of adults 18 through 64 years of age who were vaccinated annually reported that their vaccination experience would be better if the needle was much smaller, and 65 percent said their experience would be better if access to the flu shot was more convenient.

A local survey of 400 adults in Seattle revealed similar results as seven out of every ten (72 percent) adults 18 through 64 years of age said if they had influenza, they fear spreading the virus to their loved ones, yet nearly three in five (57 percent) adults said they are not vaccinated annually.

Flu clinic attendees will have the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with a Walgreens pharmacist to better understand the importance of annual influenza vaccination, how to help protect themselves and their loved ones, and the various vaccine options that are available for adults 18 through 64 years of age this flu season. Attendees can also get immunized with Fluzone Intradermal vaccine. Age and health-related restrictions may apply. 

The Coop de Quill vehicle, which features a supersized rooftop 3D structure of the Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, will be on-site for attendees to interact with. 

For adults unable to attend the flu clinic event on Monday, immunization options, including Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, are available at Walgreens pharmacies in Seattle throughout the season. 

Fluzone Intradermal vaccine is the only FDA-approved intradermal flu vaccine for adults 18 through 64 years of age in the United States. The device features an ultra-thin, 90 percent smaller needle that works just under the skin to help provide adults with the flu protection they need.

To find out where Fluzone Intradermal vaccine is available in your area, or to learn more about Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, visit www.Fluzone.com.

After the event in Seattle, the Coop de Quill vehicle will be making stops in three additional tour cities: San Francisco, Raleigh and Baltimore throughout the flu season.

About Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour

The Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour is a national initiative that aims to raise awareness about the seriousness of influenza and the various vaccine options that are available for adults this flu season. Sanofi Pasteur and Actor Chris O'Donnell are teaming up to educate adults, a sometimes overlooked population, that the single most important thing they can do to help prevent getting or spreading the flu is to get their annual vaccination. Chris will share his personal flu vaccination experience and help to educate about this potentially deadly disease and vaccine options through various media activities this flu season. 

Additionally, the Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour is joining forces with various retailers, including Walgreens, CVS and Rite-Aid, to bring Fluzone Intradermal vaccine to cities across the nation. The Coop de Quill vehicle will be making a stop in five tour cities: Baltimore, Chicago, Raleigh, San Francisco, and Seattle. At each stop attendees will have the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with clinic pharmacists to better understand the importance of annual influenza vaccination and the various vaccine options available to them. Attendees can also get immunized with Fluzone Intradermal vaccine.

The Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine Coop de Quill VacciNation Tour is a program of Sanofi Pasteur, makers of Fluzone Intradermal vaccine.

About Influenza

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death. Each year in the U.S., 1 in 5 people, or up to 20 percent of the population gets the flu, and on average, influenza and its related complications result in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations. Influenza seasons are unpredictable and can be severe. Depending on virus severity during the influenza season, annual deaths can range from a low of 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people. Combined with pneumonia, influenza is the nation's ninth leading cause of death. Vaccination is safe and effective and the best way to help prevent influenza and its complications.

About Fluzone Intradermal Vaccine

Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, the only FDA-approved intradermal flu vaccine in the United States, is an inactivated influenza virus vaccine given to people 18 through 64 years of age for active immunization against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the vaccine.

The Fluzone Intradermal vaccine needle is an ultra-thin microneedle that is 90 percent smaller and only goes as deep as the skin's surface to help protect against the flu.  Smaller than a grain of rice, the microneedle is only 1.5mm long, which is about the same as the thickness of a U.S. penny.

To find out where Fluzone Intradermal vaccine is available in your area, or to learn more about Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, visit www.Fluzone.com.

Safety Information

Redness, firmness, swelling, and itching at the injection site occur more frequently with Fluzone Intradermal vaccine than with Fluzone vaccine.  Other common side effects to Fluzone Intradermal vaccine include pain, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Side effects other than those listed above may occur. Fluzone Intradermal vaccine should not be administered to anyone with a severe allergic reaction to any vaccine component, including eggs, egg products, or to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine. Tell the doctor if you have ever experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome (severe muscle weakness) after a previous dose of influenza vaccine. If you notice any other problems or symptoms following vaccination, please contact your health care professional immediately. Vaccination with Fluzone Intradermal vaccine may not protect all individuals.
 
For more information about Fluzone Intradermal vaccine, talk to your health care professional and see complete Patient Information.

About The Survey

The national survey results are from GfK Roper's weekly telephone omnibus service, OmniTel. Interviewing was conducted from June 1-3, 2012. A total of 1005 interviews with adults aged 18+ were completed, with 663 among the target subgroup of adults aged 18 through 64. The margin of error for this study is +/- 3 percentage points for total sample and is higher for subgroups.

Localized survey results are from GfK Roper's weekly telephone omnibus service, OmniTel. Interviewing was conducted from August 29 - September 3, 2012. A total of 400 interviews with adults 18 through 64 years of age were completed in each of the five cities, Baltimore, Chicago, Raleigh, San Francisco and Seattle, for a total of 2000 interviews.  The margin of error for this study is +/- 4 percentage points for each city sample of 400 and is higher for subgroups.

All above surveys were sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global and diversified health care leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of health care with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer health care, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, provides more than 1 billion doses of vaccine each year, making it possible to immunize more than 500 million people across the globe. A world leader in the vaccine industry, Sanofi Pasteur offers the broadest range of vaccines protecting against 20 infectious diseases. The company's heritage, to create vaccines that protect life, dates back more than a century. Sanofi Pasteur is the largest company entirely dedicated to vaccines. Every day, the company invests more than EUR 1 million in research and development. For more information, please visit: www.sanofipasteur.com or www.sanofipasteur.us.

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, 2011. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Contact:
Jennifer Solomon
Cooney/Waters Group
212-886-2268
[email protected]

SOURCE Sanofi Pasteur