Roche German Unit Back To Norm

Hoffmann-La Roche's German subsidiary reverted to normal expansion in 1994, after a downturn in 1993. Total sales of the unit improved by 11% to 1.2 billion Deutschemarks ($853.2 million), and 1995 sales are projected at over 1.3 billion marks. Drugs accounted for 60% of turnover.

Roche says that while prices remain depressed, the prescribing of innovative drugs by German doctors has recovered, and adds that a series of new launches have contributed to higher volume, especially in the case of the genetically-engineered cystic fibrosis drug Pulmozyme (dornase alfa) and the antibiotic Globocef (cefetamet pivoxil).