Sales at Synthelabo Grow 12.7% in 1994

French pharmaceuticals group Synthelabo achieved sales in 1994 of 8.1 billion French francs ($1.5 billion), up 12.7%. The group said that on a comparable basis, after adjusting for changes in group structure and currency fluctuations, sales increased by 11.6%. International sales represented 56.4% of the total.

Pharmaceutical sales for the year were 7.5 billion francs, ahead 12.1% on a comparable basis. The increase was driven by strong performances in markets outside France. Sales of Synthelabo's seven key products Tildiem (diltiazem), Dogmatil (sulpiride), Stilnox (zolpidem), Aspegic (lysine acetylsalicylic acid), Tiapridal (tiapride), Xatral (alfuzosin) and Solian (amisulpride) were up 26.7% and accounted for 55.9% of total ethical pharmaceutical sales.

In France, sales of ethical pharmaceuticals decreased 3.7%. This was reported to be a result of the withdrawal of the anxiolytic Ananxyl (alpidem), the low level of winter illness and the implementation of the good medical practice guideline. Domestic sales represent around 32.6% of group sales.