1996 Net Income Rises 20% At Boeh Ingelheim

German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has announced netincome for 1996 of 327 million Deutschemarks ($192.6 million), up 20% on the previous year. Sales were slightly over 7 billion marks, an increase of 10.2%. Heribert Johann, chairman of the company, commented that he was "very satisfied" with the results, and said that the business is expected to continue positively in 1997. He expects turnover this year to reach "a good 7.5 billion marks."

Dr Johann said that despite massive efforts and restructuring in Germany there was no more than a very modest growth rate of 2%. Uncertainty on the part of doctors and the health care debate were said to be behind this result.

Restructuring Of Human Pharmaceuticals BI's human pharmaceutical business contributed 6 billion marks in 1996, 84% of net sales. Rolf Krebs, responsible for the human pharmaceuticals division, said that BI had restructured its R&D strategy, adding that R&D now holds coresponsibility for internal product supply and will have to integrate the areas of acquisitions, licenses and alliances under the umbrellas of its own range of activities.