Fujisawa's Funguard sales up on forecast

Japanese firm Fujisawa Pharmaceuticals' candin antifungal agent Funguard for Drip Infusion (micafungin sodium) is showing stronger than expected sales thus far this fiscal year.

The company forecast turnover of 6.7 billion yen ($62.3 million) initially but, for the first half of the current fiscal year, this has already reached 5.2 billion yen and, as a result, Fujisawa has raised its projection for the full year to 10.6 billion yen, reports Pharma Japan.

Funguard, which was launched in Japan in December 2002, appears to have penetrated the market so successfully because it has little toxicity and has shown efficacy against both candida and aspergillus.