Japan generics firms' sales up 5.6%

Total sales of 39 Japanese generic drug manufacturers in fiscal-year 2007 increased 5.6% to 413.2 billion yen ($4.42 billion) compared to the previous year, according to the results of a questionnaire survey on the business status of Japan Generic Medicine Association member companies (total membership 44) as of June 2008.

Operating and ordinary profits of 39 responders fell 8.9% and 11.3% to 33.8 billion yen and 32.1 billion yen, respectively, year-on-year because sales administration costs increased 7.9% to 114.2 billion yen due to the rising number of medical representatives. However, gross profits of those companies increased 3.6% to 148.1 billion yen.