Boston Scientific reports 4th-qtr sales downturn

Meantime, Boston Scientific has reported preliminary fourth-quarter 2005 results, showing that sales declined to $1.54 billion from $1.60 billion in the like, 2004 period, due to increased competition from Johnson & Johnson's Cypher drug-coated stent. Boston said that its paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent, Taxus Express2, had worldwide turnover of $606.0 million and $398.9 million in the USA for the full year of 2005.

Net sales for the year ended December 31, are estimated to be $6.28 billion compared to $5.62 billion for 2004, an increase of 12%. Worldwide, coronary stent system turnover for the same period was $2.69 billion versus $2.351 billion for 2004, an increase of 15%. Globally, Taxus revenues were $2.56 billion vs $2.143 billion for 2004, an increase of 19%. In the USA, the Taxus stent system generated $1.763 billion for the year, compared with $1.570 billion for 2004, an increase of 12%.