Roussel Uclaf Has Strong 1st Half

On a comparable basis, Roussel Uclaf of France posted group sales of 9 billion French francs ($1.66 billion), up 3.9% in the first six months of 1994. Net income grew 44% on a comparable basis to 392 million francs.

The company said that the results reflect the satisfactory growth of its pharmaceutical activities abroad as well as excellent sales of fine chemicals. Pharmaceutical sales were up 26% on the 1993 first half. Sales in Asia and major Latin American markets were particularly good and more than compensated for the sales declines in some European markets.

The sell-off of RU's agrochemical interests, the sale of other businesses and the raising of credits will have created a fund of some 7.5 billion francs by the end of 1994, and the company will use this to expand in the US drug market.