|
 Europe's biggest biotech firm is banking on its two newest PAH
drugs, Uptravi and Opsumit, to help offset falling revenue from
Tracleer, its mainstay drug for the last decade that lost patent
protection in November.
Actelion said it now expected its core operating income to rise by a
low-teen percentage in 2016. In April it had said it expected core
profit to grow at a high single-digit percentage rate.
It reported first-half core operating income of 499 million Swiss
francs ($507.01 million), up 11 percent year on year at constant
exchange rates.
Opsumit sales rose 76 percent at constant exchange rates to 378
million francs while Uptravi generated 90 million in sales. Uptravi
went on sale in January, helping ease pressure from generic
competition to Tracleer. Tracleer sales fell 18 percent at constant
exchange rates to 546 million.
"All in all, the transformation of the company is well under way and
I am very pleased with our achievements. What’s more, I am confident
that we can sustain this momentum moving forward," Chief Executive
Jean-Paul Clozel said.
[to top of second column] |
(Reporting by Maria Sheahan and Michael Shields; Editing by Tina
Bellon)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
