Net income up 23% at Schering AG as Betaferon sales stay strong

Schering AG of Germany says that net sales increased 7% to 3.58 billioneuros ($3.22 billion) for the first nine months of 2001 and net income improved 23% to 331 million euros. Operating profit, however, advanced just 4% to 494 million euros, reflecting investments in its new product launches both in the USA and Europe, the company notes.

The multiple sclerosis drug Betaferon/Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) continued to be Schering's largest-selling product, with turnover up 12% to 491 million euros for the six months. The firm notes that, in the USA, the success of Betaferon and the chronic lymphocytic leu-kemia drug Fludara (fludarabine), with sales up 22% at 100 million euros), enabled Schering to cushion the fall of Betapace (sotalol), turnover of which fell 49% to 77 million euros.

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