Lundbeck Looks To Continue Strong Growth

Lundbeck, the Denmark-based biopharmaceutical company, has high hopesthat its antipsychotic drug for treating schizophrenia Serdolect (sertindole) will make a significant contribution to its turnover, which rose to 2.33 billion Danish kroner ($352.5 million), up 26% on 1995, although the company does not expect significant sales in the near future.

Ole Moestrup, vice president and director of strategic marketing, told the Marketletter that revenues from Serdolect, which was launched in the UK last year (Marketletter July 15, 1996) and is currently licensed in 11 out of 15 European Union countries, are estimated to reach approximately 50 million kroner for fiscal 1997. He added that growth at Lundbeck will continue to be driven by the company's antidepressant Cipramil/Seropram (citalopram), which is registered in some 50 countries.

Mr Moestrup said that he expects revenues to grow 16% to approximately 2.7 billion kroner for 1997, with Cipramil/ Seropram making up 55% of total turnover. He added that the company expects to be able to market Cipramil/Seropram under an agreement with Forest Laboratories in the lucrative US market in May or June 1998.