Aventis

Aventis was a multinational pharmaceutical company formed in 1999 through the merger of French chemical giant Rhône-Poulenc S.A. and German conglomerate Hoechst AG, representing the first major transnational merger between large French and German corporations. Headquartered in Strasbourg, France, Aventis combined the pharmaceutical and agricultural businesses of both parent companies, creating a global life sciences powerhouse with operations spanning over 100 countries. The company was equally owned by its founding entities and maintained a diverse portfolio that included prescription pharmaceuticals through Hoechst Marion Roussel and Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, vaccines through Pasteur Mérieux Connaught, and biologicals through Centeon. With combined 1997 pro forma sales of $20 billion and a substantial R&D budget of approximately $2.5 billion, Aventis established itself as a major player in the global pharmaceutical industry. The company's operations were geographically distributed with Europe accounting for 42% of business, the United States 25%, Asia 14%, and other regions 19%. During its five-year existence, Aventis engaged in significant strategic partnerships, including a landmark $450 million deal with Millennium Pharmaceuticals in 2000, one of the largest pharmaceutical-biotech collaborations of its time. The company's pharmaceutical portfolio represented 72% of its business, with agricultural products comprising the remaining 28%. Aventis ceased to exist as an independent entity in 2004 when it was acquired by Sanofi-Synthélabo in a €47.8 billion hostile takeover, forming Sanofi-Aventis, which later became simply Sanofi in 2011.