Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Sanofi-Aventis SA, the French drugmaker that replaced its chief executive this week, is paring U.S. sales positions, echoing moves by rivals to respond to a slowdown in the world’s biggest pharmaceuticals market.

Paris-based Sanofi expects a “single-digit” percentage decline in the 6,500-strong U.S. sales force, spokesman Geoffroy Bessaud said today in a telephone interview. He declined to say exactly how many positions would be cut.

Sanofi joins GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Pfizer Inc., Merck & Co., Schering-Plough Corp. and Wyeth in trimming U.S. staff. Those drugmakers are cutting more than 6,000 sales jobs this year. Chris Viehbacher took the helm on Dec. 1 at a company whose revenue has declined in each of the last four quarters.

Sanofi is facing a “rapidly changing business climate,” Bessaud said.

The drugmaker gained 11 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 44.01 euros in Paris trading. The stock has lost 30 percent of its value this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Trista Kelley in London at tkelley2@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 4, 2008 12:25 EST