Sanofi-Aventis SA announces its plans to continue with its acquisitions of as much as $15 billion as the French drug maker looks forward to replace revenue that it's losing to competition from generic medicines.

Sanofi strives on buying generic-drug makers in growing markets and consumer-health companies, Chief Executive Officer Chris Viehbacher, 49, revealed today in Paris.

In addition, the officer revealed that though spurning mega- mergers, Sanofi initiated two to three acquisitions a month last year, and probably will continue with the same in 2010.

The French drug maker reported swung to a fourth-quarter profit that exceeded analysts' forecast and speculates earnings to climb 2 to 5 percent this year as growth areas such as vaccines offset stronger competition from generic rivals.

However, Sanofi's forecast for business earnings per share (EPS) at constant exchange rates excludes the possible 2010 launch of a generic version of blood-thinner Lovenox, a blockbuster that made 3.04 billion Euros ($4.2 billion) last year.

If you ask me what 2010 will look like in terms of M&A activity, I will probably point to 2009," Viehbacher told reporters. "The bigger the deal becomes, the more the company gets bogged down in integrating".

Sanofi's registered profit excludes acquisition-related costs, as well as selected items such as building expenses and writes downs of plants and equipment.