French drugs company Sanofi-Aventis on Wednesday announced its plans to continue with acquisitions and concentrate on small- and midsize targets, as it witnessed a 10% rise in fourth-quarter net profit, triggered by sales of its key drugs, including Lantus and Lovenox, as well as an extra boost from vaccines.

Sanofi is focused on buying generic-drug makers in emerging markets and consumer-health companies, Chief Executive Officer Chris Viehbacher, 49, said today in Paris.

Net profit for the last quarter of 2009 is revealed to rise to EUR1.8 billion from EUR1.63 billion a year earlier, surpassing analyst estimated for EUR1.76 billion.

The company is reported to have spent $9 billion on numerous acquisitions since joining the company in 2008, looking outside the company's labs for new products as generic versions of cancer treatment Eloxatin and blood-thinner Plavix hurt sales.

The drugs contribute for above 20 percent of revenue face competition by 2013. Sanofi is reported to have concluded a $1.9 billion offer to buy Chattem Inc., the U. S. maker of Gold Bond medicated powder.

Viehbacher reflected that the company expects its cancer treatment BSI-201, which grabbed fast-track status for approval with U. S. authorities, to be filed with authorities there at the end of this year or early next year.