Sanofi-Synthelabo sales rise 10.3%

France's Sanofi-Synthelabo says sales in 2000 rose 10.3% to 5.96 billioneuros ($5.59 billion) on a consolidated basis, while fourth-quarter turnover climbed 7.5% to 1.62 billion euros.

Group-developed drug turnover for the full year (generated from global sales with marketing partners Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pharmacia) was 7.51 billion euros (+17.7%), and growth was driven by the firm's two new drugs, the platelet antiaggregant Plavix (clopidogrel) and the antihypertensive Aprovel/Avapro (irbesartan), both of which are marketed in collaboration with B-MS.

These alliance drugs had worldwide sales of 1.28 billion euros (+80.3%) and 665 million euros (+61.9%) respectively, and Sanofi-Synthelabo's share of the revenues was 437 million euros and 300 million euros in the same order. The company's revenues from the hypnotic Stilnox/Ambien (zolpidem), sold with Pharmacia, increased 32% to 582 million euros, while total sales of the drug reached 920 million euros (+32%).