Ipsen posts 8% rise in first-half 2012 sales

French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) yesterday reported first-half 2012 financial results with 8% growth in consolidated sales to 629.8 million euros ($788.3 million). Operating income was 125.7 million euros, or 20.0% of sales, and consolidated net profit fell 1.5% to 90.5 million euros.

For the full year 2012, the company expects specialty care drug sales to grow in the upper range of 8% to 10%; Primary care drug sales to decrease by around 15%; and recurring adjusted operating margin of about 15%.

Sales of the Neurology franchise, up 14.3% (+12.9% excluding foreign exchange impacts), was fuelled by strong Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), up 16.2% to 123.1 million euros, with sales growth in Russia and supply sales to the group’s partners in aesthetic medicine, Medicis and Galderma. This strong performance was also driven by the implementation of a new agreement with Galderma in Australia, Ipsen noted.