Sanofi's Hudson: "Our heart beats in France"

Hudson had earlier this year irked the French government by hinting U.S. patients might get any vaccine it develops to prevent from COVID-19 first, given Washington had provided funding.

Sanofi's Chief Executive Paul Hudson on Tuesday sought to set aside tensions with the French government and said the drugmaker was committed to helping France build up its healthcare system. "Sanofi's heartbeats in France," Hudson said in a speech after hosting a visit of French President Emmanuel Macron at a group's vaccines facility near Lyon, central France.

Sanofi announced on the sidelines of the visit it would invest 610 million euros ($679.4 million) at two French sites to bolster vaccine research, development, and production. Hudson had earlier this year irked the French government by hinting U.S. patients might get any vaccine it develops to prevent from COVID-19 first, given Washington had provided funding. ($1 = 0.8832 euros)