France's Ipsen sees 2009 sales up 7.6% and rise 8.2% in fourth quarter

French drugmaker Ipsen said pharmaceutical sales in 2009 - excluding foreign exchange impacts grew by a strong 7.6% year-on-year. Consolidated group sales reached 1.03 billion euros ($1.43 billion for the full year, up 6.8% year-on-year excluding foreign exchange impact.

Turnover generated in the major Western European countries amounted to 554.7 million euros, down 0.9% year-on-year, or flat excluding foreign exchange impacts. Sales were driven by the group's specialty care franchises in Italy, Germany and the UK, offset by a tougher competitive environment in Primary Care in France. Sales in major Western European countries continued to decrease in relative terms to 53.7% of total turnover from 57.6% a year earlier.

Sales generated in other European countries dipped 0.8% to 234.3 million euros, weakened by tough economic conditions affecting some important economies in Eastern Europe, such as for example Ukraine and Romania. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, growth in that region has resumed from the second quarter 2009 onwards. In 2009, sales in other European countries represented 22.7% of total consolidated group revenue, against 24.3% a year earlier.