Mixed Six Month Results From Japan's Drugmakers

Six-month results to September 1994 from Japanese pharmaceutical companies are mixed, with most firms showing gains or losses on sales within the 10% range.

- Asahi Chemical's small decline of 1.5% in sales did not reflect the performance of its pharmaceutical division, which posted a 2.9% increase in revenues over the previous six months to 28.1 billion yen ($282.1 million). Pharmaceuticals accounted for 6.3% of corporate revenues. The pharmaceutical division is projecting sales for the full year of 60 billion yen. Sales of Elcitonin (elcatonin), a treatment for osteoporosis, were boosted by the introduction of an injectable version, Elcitonin 20S, in November. During 1995, reports Pharma Japan, the company expects to spend 7 billion yen on plant and equipment and 10 billion yen on research and development.

- Hokuriku Seiyaku attributed its large decline in profits to lower domestic sales of generics and bulk pharmaceuticals. Sales of generic drugs, accounting for 14% of overall revenues, amounted to slightly over 1.06 billion yen. Hokuriku's largest-selling product was Bareon (lomefloxacin HCl), which posted sales for the six months of 2.6 billion yen, followed by Thiaton (tiquizium bromide), with sales in the region of 1.8 billion yen. Expenditure on research and development for the six-month period declined by 57 million yen to 1.8 billion yen.