Ipsen's 2006 sales grow 6.8% to 861.7M euros

In full-year 2006, French drugmaker Ipsen saw group sales of 861.7 million euros ($1.12 billion), up 6.8% year-on-year, driven by strong growth of specialist care products in its targeted therapeutic segment, which includes oncology, endocrinology and neuromuscular disorders. In this area, sales jumped 13.4%, further accelerating growth compared to last year, which saw a 10.4% sales rise.

Ipsen says that its top performer during the period was its endocrinology franchise, with sales up 23.2%, followed by its neuromuscular disorders line, income from which rose 22.5%. All of the firm's primary care products showed solid growth, except Ginkor Fort, a gingko biloba-based product, which has been impacted by a reduction in French reimbursement from 35% to 15%, as well as a 15% reduction on the entire veinotonic class of drugs.

Ipsen's other primary care products grew 9.0%, driven by the strong performance of its gastroenterology franchise in Asia and Eastern Europe, including continued growth of Tanakan (ginko biloba), a product launched in 1975 for the memory problems in older people, particularly in Russia and selected Eastern Europe countries, and continued strong performance of valsartan-based antihypertensives Nisis and Nisisco in France. Overall, drug sales posted a solid 7.6% growth, Ipseon noted.