PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) - French drugmaker Sanofi said on Wednesday it had submitted a written notice to Medivation requesting the U.S. company's board set a deadline for shareholders to give their written consent to remove and replace Medivation's board of directors.

Sanofi named eight candidates to replace the entire board of Medivation last week, stepping up pressure on the U.S. cancer drug company which has rejected the French company's $9.3 billion takeover approach.

Sanofi said in a statement on Wednesday that the latest day the Medivation board can set the deadline, or the record date, is June 22.

After the record date, Medivation directors can be removed and replaced if shareholders of a majority of the outstanding shares agree to the proposal, it added.

(Reporting by Matthias Blamont and Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Susan Fenton)