Roussel Uclaf 1st-Half Net Income More Than Doubles

French drugmaker Roussel Uclaf has reported sales of 7.87 billion French francs ($1.67 billion) for the first half of 1995, an increase of 2.3% on a comparable basis, but a 10.9% decline on a non-comparable structure. Net income for the period leapt 120.2% to 721 million francs ($150.6 million), but up 16.6% to 555 million francs on a comparable basis.

In the first half of 1994, RU sales included those of the crop protection and environmental health businesses, which were transferred to joint venture Hoechst-Schering AgrEvo GmbH. Germany's Hoechst has a controlling 56% interest in RU.

The 2.3% rise reflects higher sales in the second quarter, according to the company, with particularly noticeable growth in the health care business in France, Germany and Japan. A mixed performance was seen in Latin America, with a difficult environment in Mexico but with a remarkable advance in Brazil, RU notes. Health care accounts for 75% of the group's business, and sales in this sector advanced 4.7% on a comparable basis.