Forest Labs 4th-qtr profit jumps 28%

New York, USA-based Forest Laboratories' fourth-quarter 2006 profit jumped 28% on the like, year-ago period, to $250.3 million, thanks to a strong performance from Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of depression and anxiety in adults, as well as the Alzheimer's disease drug Namenda (memantine).

During the period, revenues increased 18% to $893.0 million. Sales in the quarter included $554.9 million for Forest's antidepressant franchise which was comprised of $545.8 million from Lexapro, $7.9 million from Celexa (citalopram) and $1.2 million from generic citalopram. Sales of Namenda grew 40.2% to $173.9 million. Forest earned $38.6 million from co-promotion of the Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) franchise.