GSK's full-year 2006 turnover up 7%

UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline says that its full-year 2006 turnover rose 7% on 2005, to L23.22 billion ($45.59 billion) as operating profit increased 14% to L7.81 billion and earnings per share totaled L0.95, up 16%. During the period, pharmaceutical sales jumped 9% to L20.1 billion, with strong growth from all major products, including: Seretide/Advair (fluticasone), for asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, up 11% to L3.3 billion; the anti-epileptic agent Lamictal (lamotrigine), up 19% to L996.0 million; the Avandia (rosiglitazone) antidiabetese franchise rising 25% to L1.6 billion; Valtrex (valciclovir) for herpes, increasing 24% to L845.0 million; and Coreg (carvedilol) for heart disease, up 38% to L779.0 million. Full details will be published next week.