Sandoz 9 Months Sales up 6%

Switzerland's Sandoz announced that total sales for the first nine months of 1995 reached 11.89 billion Swiss francs ($10.55 billion), but excluding chemicals, which were floated off as Clariant effective June 30; Marketletters passim), sales were 10.756 billion francs, a rise of 6% on the like, year-earlier period, or up 16% in local currency terms. And barring any unforeseen developments, Sandoz says it expects that sales will continue to expand in the fourth quarter.

Pharmaceutical turnover at 5.28 billion francs was down 2%, but up 8% in local currencies, and since the demerger of Clariant the sector now accounts for about half of Sandoz' business. The Nutrition sector, which saw sales rise 48% to 2.77 billion francs, accounts for over one quarter. Nutrition sales were boosted by the acquisition of Gerber.

Strong Drug Brands Sandoz describes the 8% rise in local currency sales in pharmaceuticals as "dynamic growth," and attributes most of the increase to prescription medicines, up 10% in local currencies. It notes that exceptionally large local currency increases were posted by: the ciclosporin-based immunosuppressants Sandimmun and Neoral, up 12%; the asthma product Zaditen (ketotifen), up 10%; the anti-schizophrenia drug Clozaril/Leponex (clozapine), 17% higher; the antifungal Lamisil (terbinaline), rising 28%; and the osteoporosis product Miacalcic (calcitonin) up 9%. In addition, it points out, the lipid-lowering agent Lescol (fluvastatin), which was introduced in several markets last year, achieved a major increase in sales and is already among the biggest-selling drugs for Sandoz.