Forget the competition. Sanofi still plans to usher its COVID-19 shot across the finish line

One of the top vaccines players opted to call it quits on its COVID-19 research after delays and setbacks. There are plenty of options already on the market or close to it.

But not Sanofi.

The French drugmaker and its partner GlaxoSmithKline, two of the world's top vaccine makers, expect phase 2 data on their recombinant protein-based shot in just a few weeks. If the data are positive, they plan to launch a phase 3 study immediately, Sanofi vaccine chief Thomas Triomphe said on a Wednesday conference call.