As Sanofi anticipates sales of immunotherapy juggernaut Dupixent reaching a major $22 billion by the end of the decade, fulfilling that goal will hinge on its uptake in chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

So far, so good.

After gaining FDA approval in the indication in September of last year, the company is on a “record-setting pace,” as it relates to coverage, according to Brian Foard, Sanofi’s head of specialty care, speaking at the company’s first quarter conference call.

Medicare and commercial coverage are at 90% and 88% respectively, Foard said, adding that “as you look at initiations we’re seeing, it’s our most rapid respiratory initiation launch so far.”

COPD represents a significant opportunity for Sanofi and its U.S. drug partner Regeneron as Dupixent is the first biologic approved for the condition, which is the fourth-leading cause of death in the world. 

With many patients having “resigned themselves to their condition,” according to Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, the company is busy educating pulmonologists and patients about the benefits of the treatment.

Sanofi has launched Dupixent for COPD in eight countries, said Hudson, who added that 2025 will be the "inflection year," for the treatment in the indication.

Last week, the FDA approved Dupixent in its seventh indication—the hives disorder chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). The company expects another nod this year for Dupixent to treat the skin disease bullous pemphigoid (BP).

The company reported Q1 sales of Dupixent at 3.5 billion euros ($4 billion), which was an impressive increase of 20% year over year. In 2024, Dupixent sales came in at $14.1 billion, which was an increase of 22% from 2023.

Dupixent’s trajectory contributed heavily to Sanofi’s strong quarterly performance. The company racked up sales of 9.9 billion euros ($11.3 billion) in the first quarter, which was a 10% increase year-over-year.

Also playing a role was hemophilia A treatment Altuviiio, which made a 100% leap in sales to 251 million euros ($285 million) and “has the potential to become our next blockbuster this year,” Hudson said.

Hudson added that Altuviiio, which was approved in early 2023, is “benefiting from patient switches,” as they move away from factor VIII replacement medicines, such as the company’s aging Eloctate, which saw a 21% decline in sales to 70 million euros ($80 million) in the quarter.

Meanwhile, sales of Sanofi’s factor VIX replacement treatment Alprolix—which was approved for hemophilia B patients three months before Eloctate in 2014—grew by 20% to 160 million euros ($182 million).