Drugmakers Stockpiling for Brexit Ask, How Long Do We Wait?

Bracing for possible border delays in the event of a messy, no-deal Brexit, pharma companies are trying to ensure the steady flow of vital medicines to patients. After U.K. and European Union leaders agreed to push Brexit back to the end of October, drugmakers are sharing the pain of another six months of uncertainty that’s hitting British companies across the board. “How long are we going to be overstocked?” said Hugo Fry, managing director of French drugmaker Sanofi’s U.K. business. “There’s a certain level of balance sheet pressure that comes into play. How long do we wait? In theory, the European Union could give another extension.” Among other Brexit preparations, Sanofi has augmented its U.K. supplies to about 16 weeks on average. If principal routes are disrupted, the French drugmaker will have to fly its flu vaccine into the U.K., a costly step, Fry said. Novo plans to keep stockpiles at roughly 18 weeks, while it has pushed back access to space that it reserved on airplanes to move its products.