Record sales balanced by costs for Takeda

Takeda Pharmaceuticals' sales reached record highs during fiscal 2008, due to the firm's acquisition of both Millennium and TAP  Pharmaceuticals, though costs for the purchases drove profit lower.

Japan's largest drug firm's net income was down 34% year-on-year, to  234.39 billion yen ($2.46 billion). Elsewhere, turnover was up 12% to  1,538.34 billion yen.

Foreign sales reached 843.1 billion yen, accounting for 55% of total  revenue. North American turnover increased to 631.6 billion yen, due to  the introduction of the TAP proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole, and  bortzeomib for multiple myeloma from Millennium.