Schering-Plough sees 2nd-qtr income of $237.0M as sales rise 11% to $2.8 billion

New Jersey, USA-based pharmaceutical firm Schering-Plough says that its 2006 second quarter income was $237.0 million, or $0.16 per share, on a Generally-Accepted Accounting Principles basis, compared with a second quarter 2005 figure of $48.0 million. The firm added that its income for the period had been affected by $138.0 million in exceptional charges relating to its efforts to streamline its worldwide supply chain, in addition to the costs associated with its establishment of a wholly-owned business in Brazil.

Remicade and PegIntron lead sales

S-P reported that its sales in the reporting period reached $2.8 billion, an increase of 11%. The firm said that this growth had been led by the improved performance of its prescription pharmaceutical products, citing the $307.0 million in revenue from Remicade (infliximab), the $242.0 million from sales of Nasonex (mometasone furoate) and the $226.0 million derived from Peg-Intron (pegylated interferon alfa-2a), as key to its growth. The company explained that sales of the anti-cholesterol products Vyortin (ezetimibe/simvastatin) and Zetia (ezetimibe) that it markets in partnership with fellow US firm Merck & Co, which hit $958.0 million for the period (see above), had not been included in its results.