Sanofi Overcomes Series Of Challenges To Return Syndol OTC Migraine Treatment To UK After 5-Year Absence
Executive Summary
Sanofi has overcome production challenges to bring its OTC migraine and tension headache treatment Syndol back to the UK market after more than five years away.
Sanofi’s original formulation Syndol has returned to UK pharmacies after a more than five-year absence thanks to a new “optimized” production process.
Containing paracetamol 450mg, codeine phosphate 10mg, doxylamine succinate 5mg and caffeine 30mg, Syndol Tablets’ “unique formulation” offered OTC relief from tension headache and migraine, Sanofi said, “when paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen alone are not enough.”
A spokesperson for Sanofi told HBW Insight that original formulation Syndol – previously marketed by Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC – had been pulled from pharmacy shelves in 2013 “due to a number of challenges.”
The following year, Sanofi acquired the licensing rights for Syndol, the spokesperson explained, “and since then has been working behind the scenes on an optimized production method to develop a high-quality product with a new manufacturer.”
After gaining the rights to the brand, Sanofi in 2015 launched a reformulated version without doxylamine under the Syndol Headache Relief name. At the time of the launch, Sanofi said it had resolved the “production difficulties” it faced when it had acquired Syndol from RB.
Ad to support the 2015 launch of Syndol Headache Relief
Commenting on the return of Syndol Tablets, Sanofi said it was bringing back the combination pain reliever due to high demand from consumers and pharmacists alike.
Claiming that tension-type headaches were the most common type of headaches in the UK – affecting 3 out of 4 adults – the company said the launch of Syndol Tablets would enable consumers to treat their symptoms with a “pharmacy specialist product.”
Furthermore, recent research conducted amongst more than 100 pharmacists by Nielsen had revealed Syndol was viewed as effective in helping to relieve tension headache, migraine and soothe muscle pain, the firm pointed out, and fulfilled “an unmet customer need.”
Pharmacists Recommend Syndol
“The same research also found that 68% of pharmacists would recommend original formulation Syndol Tablets, in place of the product that they would normally recommend for tension-headache and migraine,” Sanofi noted.
Syndol’s relaunch is being supported by a pharmacist training program, as well as a digital public relations campaign.
A nine-month “360-degree bespoke pharmacy education and training campaign” was available online to help pharmacy teams identify between tension and migraine-type headaches, the company explained, and to provide detailed information on Syndol Tablets.
Running in tandem from March, a digital and out-of-home campaign would raise awareness of the return of Syndol Tablets and “drive consumers to ask their pharmacist for a specialist product for tension headache and migraine relief.”
Syndol has respective recommended retail prices of £3.79 ($5.00) and £8.99 for packs of 10 and 30 tablets.