Sanofi probed over epilepsy drug

French drugmaker Sanofi has said it is being investigated over Depakine, an epilepsy drug which caused birth malfunctions and slow neurological development when taken during pregnancy.

The Paris prosecutor had already launched a preliminary investigation into the authorisation and marketing of Depakine in 2016, after France’s social affairs inspection agency, IGAS, criticised the slow response of health authorities and Sanofi to the risks related to the drug and its derivatives.