Health Care Fuels Strong 1997 Start For Novartis

For first-quarter 1997, Swiss company Novartis reported sales of 8.2billion Swiss francs ($5.57 billion), up 8% in local currency terms but 22% higher in Swiss francs. Growth was particularly strong in pharmaceuticals, the company notes, due to a good start in the key US market, and turnover increased significantly in crop protection and seeds.

Pharmaceutcal sales were driven by their performance in the USA, where turnover in the previous year was comparably low. And, worldwide, key contributors were: the lipid-lowering agent Lescol (fluvastatin), up 95% in local currencies; the antifungal Lamisil (terbinafine), 92% higher; Miacalcic (calcitonin), +45%; the antihypertensive Cibacen/Lotensin (benazapril), +21%; and the newer products Aredia (pamidronate, a cancer therapy) +103%, and Foradil (formoterol, an antiasthma drug), +73%.

The immunosuppressant Sandimmun/ Neoral (ciclosporin) continued to grow, with sales up 11%. Novartis notes that in February of this year, Neoral received an approval recommendation as rheumatoid arthritis therapy from a US Food and Drug Administration advisory committee. In March, its novel antihypertensive Diovan (valsartan) was launched in the USA, and it has now been introduced in over 20 countries. Apligraf, a human skin graft product, received its first approval - in Canada - for use in the treatment of venous ulcers.