Nycomed's 1st-qtr 2010 sales fall 7.6% and EBITDA slumps 24%, impacted by pantoprazole patent expiry

Swiss privately-held drugmaker Nycomed posted a first-quarter 2010 decline in sales, to 776.4 million euros ($982.1 million), with adjusted EBITDA decreasing 24.1% (-24.8% in local currencies) to 233.1 million euros.

Nycomed says that its performance was driven by strong growth of key products and in most emerging markets. However, this overall positive performance could not fully offset the expected negative impact of the patent expiry in Europe of the firm's anti-ulcerant pantoprazole in May last year. Excluding pantoprazole, sales were up 16.6%.

Daxas (roflumilast) is advancing well, said Nycomed, noting that it received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), recommending the approval of the drug in the European Union. A co-promotion agreement for five European countries and Canada has been signed with US drug giant Merck & Co.