PARIS, June 13 (Reuters) - French drugmaker Sanofi said on Monday that it had filed a request with U.S. authorities to remove the board of Medivation and replace it with eight independent candidates as it seeks to acquire the cancer drug company.

"We have had extensive conversations with Medivation shareholders and believe that there is overwhelming support for Medivation to undertake a sale process that includes Sanofi," Chief Executive Olivier Brandicourt said in a statement.

(Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Brian Love)