Janssen Pharma has grown in double-digits in Japan for seven consecutive years

"Our sales increased 15.9% to 83.8 billion yen ($720.7 million) on a financial settlement basis (shipment value) compared to the previous year, resulting in marking a double-digit growth for seven consecutive years since 1999," said Ko Sekiguchi, president of Janssen Pharmaceutical Japan, a subsidiary of US drug major Johnson & Johnson, at a press conference in Tokyo. In 1999, the company posted sales of only 27.5 billion yen.

Since the company has aimed at sales of 100.0 billion yen on a National Health Insurance price basis in 2006, this goal will be achieved because revenue of 83.8 billion yen on a financial settlement basis is equivalent to 96.0 billion yen on an NHI basis, according to Mr Sekiguchi.

Major contributors to the good performances include: Risperdal (risperidone), an antipsychotic, with turnover of 29.0 billion yen on an NHI price basis (+21% compared to the previous year); Toledomin (milnacipran), a serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, with sales of 3.6 billion yen (+12%); Nizoral (ketoconazole), a topical antimycosis, with revenue of 3.4 billion yen (+3%); and Durotep Patch (fentanyl), a strong painkiller, with sales of 17.3 billion yen, which is being co-promoted with Kyowa Hakko Kogyo. However, turnover of Itrizole (itraconazole), an oral antimycosis agent, fell 21% to 26.0 billion yen because the market was depressed by the weather and fierce competition due to the appearance of a strong generic product with a new dosage.