Good Sales In 1996 2nd Qtr Says Sanofi

French pharmaceutical and beauty products company Sanofi achieved sales of 11.3 billion French francs ($2.2 billion) for the first six months of 1996. The firm said that after a second quarter marked by an overall 6% sales increase in all business areas at constant exchange rates and comparable group structure, sales for the first half of the year rose 3.5% at constant exchange rates and on a comparable basis.

In the human health care segment, the pharmaceuticals division recorded favorable sales progression in western Europe, up 7%, sales in central and eastern Europe advanced 24%, in Asia they grew 15%, and in Latin America they advanced 8%.

In the USA, the firm's performance was affected by lower sales of Plaqueril (hydroxychloroquine sulfate) for the non-steroid treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The product has faced generic competition since the beginning of the year. Excluding this effect, total pharmaceutical sales rose 7%. The diagnostics division achieved an increase in sales of 3%.