Sanofi Taps Dupixent Architect to Lead Specialty Care Amidst AI Push

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – February 17, 2026 – Sanofi has announced a pivotal leadership transition in its most critical division, appointing Manuela Buxo as the new Head of Specialty Care. The move, effective March 1, places a seasoned internal leader with a deep history tied to the company's blockbuster drug, Dupixent, at the helm of its primary growth engine.

Buxo succeeds Brian Foard, who is departing the company for an external role after a nearly nine-year tenure marked by the meteoric rise of the specialty medicines portfolio. This change comes as the French pharmaceutical giant navigates a landscape of intensifying competition, broader executive shifts, and a company-wide strategic pivot towards becoming an "AI-powered" biopharma leader.

A Signal of Strategic Continuity

In elevating Manuela Buxo, Sanofi is sending a clear message to investors and the market: the strategy is one of continuity and doubling down on what works. Buxo is no stranger to the portfolio she will now lead. For the past two years, she has headed Sanofi's Global Immunology Alliance Franchise, the very group responsible for the worldwide strategy and explosive growth of Dupixent.

Her promotion from architect of Dupixent's global expansion to the leader of the entire Specialty Care unit is a logical step designed to ensure a seamless transition. With over 20 years of international healthcare experience, including prior leadership roles across Specialty Care in Europe, Buxo brings an intimate operational knowledge of the business and its key medicines.

Olivier Charmeil, Sanofi's designated interim Chief Executive Officer, underscored this point in the company's announcement. "As we move forward, Manuela brings deep experience, longstanding commitment to Sanofi, and a thorough understanding of our Specialty Care portfolio and priorities," he stated. "I am confident she will ensure strong continuity for the business while maintaining the momentum we have built."

This appointment reinforces the company's commitment to internal talent development and seeks to prevent any disruption to the division that has become the cornerstone of Sanofi's financial performance and future outlook.

The House That Foard and Dupixent Built

The division Buxo inherits was largely shaped under the leadership of her predecessor, Brian Foard. Since joining Sanofi in 2017, Foard presided over a period of unprecedented growth, transforming the Specialty Care unit into a global powerhouse.

The centerpiece of this success is Dupixent. During Foard's tenure, the immunology drug evolved from a promising therapy into a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Sales surged from just under $9 billion in 2023 to an estimated $17.15 billion (€15.7 billion) by the end of 2025. This growth was fueled by a relentless expansion strategy, securing approvals for a wide array of indications, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis, and, more recently, chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and bullous pemphigoid (BP).

While Dupixent was the star, Foard’s leadership also saw the successful launch and growth of other important specialty medicines, including the hemophilia A therapy Altuviiio, the rare blood disorder treatment Cablivi, and the Pompe disease therapy Nexviazyme. This diversification has been crucial in building a robust portfolio beyond a single blockbuster. Foard's decision to leave for an "external leadership opportunity," the details of which remain undisclosed, marks the end of a significant chapter for Sanofi's specialty business.

Beyond the Blockbuster: Navigating a New Era of Innovation and Competition

While maintaining Dupixent's trajectory is a core priority, Buxo's mandate extends far beyond managing a single product, however successful. She takes charge at a time when Sanofi is undergoing a fundamental transformation, championed by former CEO Paul Hudson, to become an R&D-driven, AI-powered entity. This involves a sharpened focus on high-value areas like immunology and oncology and a massive investment in using artificial intelligence across the entire value chain—from accelerating drug discovery to optimizing clinical trials and supply chains.

The challenge for the new leadership is to deliver on this high-tech promise. Sanofi's pipeline is robust, with 82 clinical-stage projects reported in 2025, including promising late-stage assets like rilzabrutinib for rare diseases and amlitelimab for atopic dermatitis. Buxo's role will be critical in shepherding these future assets through development and into the market.

This innovative push is set against a backdrop of fierce competition. While Dupixent remains the market leader in atopic dermatitis with a 75% share in 2023, that dominance is under threat. New therapies, such as Ebglyss from Eli Lilly and Almirall, are gaining traction, and competitors like AstraZeneca and Amgen are aggressively marketing their rival drug, Tezspire. Projections suggest Dupixent's market share could fall to around 52% by 2030 as the immunology space becomes more crowded. Buxo's strategic acumen will be tested as she works to defend market share while simultaneously building the next generation of blockbusters.

A New Guard Amidst Broader Executive Shifts

Buxo's appointment is not happening in a vacuum. It is part of a broader changing of the guard at Sanofi's highest levels. The company recently announced that Belén Garijo will take over as Chief Executive Officer at the end of April 2026. Garijo is expected to bring "increased rigor" to the implementation of Sanofi's strategy, with a focus on accelerating R&D productivity and innovation.

This top-level change suggests a new phase for Sanofi, one focused on disciplined execution and maximizing the return on its significant R&D and AI investments. As a key member of the Executive Committee, Buxo will be central to this effort. Her challenge will be twofold: to continue driving revenue from the established portfolio led by Dupixent and to ensure the promising, AI-enhanced pipeline translates into tangible, market-leading products. The success of Sanofi's ambitious transformation may well depend on how its new leaders navigate this complex and dynamic environment.

The transition places a leader with a proven record of execution in charge of the company's most valuable assets, signaling a clear intent to protect its current success while strategically preparing for the battles of the future in a rapidly evolving pharmaceutical landscape.