Amgen sees $1B profits in 1st-qtr 2006

World-leading biotechnology firm Amgen says that it achieved first-quarter 2006 profits of $1.0 billion, an increase of 17% on the same period in 2005, but still disappointed analysts. The firm's earnings per share grew 22% to $0.82 and total revenue increased 14% to $3.2 billion.

Product sales performance

Amgen says that it saw 14% growth in total product sales, which reached $3.1 billion. This was led by US revenues of $2.6 billion, up 15% on the same quarter in 2005. The company highlights the success of its blockbuster drug Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa), for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia, which yielded revenues of $893.0 million, up 24% on the comparable period last year.