Serono makes strong start to 2001

Serono of Switzerland says that sales for first-quarter 2000 increased13.5% in local currencies to $294.4 million, while net income leapt 37.2% to $72 million. Growth was driven by the continued gain in market share by Rebif (interferon beta-1a) for multiple sclerosis, as sales of the drug soared 71.3% to $83 million, and Serono noted that the much-awaited findings of a head-to-head study between Rebif and Biogen's Avonex (interferon beta-1a) will be announced at the up-coming American Academy of Neurology meeting in Philadelphia, USA.

Sales of Gonal-F (follitropin alfa) increased 15.1% to $101 million, and Serono noted that, in line with the continued switch to its new recombinant injectable treatments Luveris (lutropin alfa) and Ovidrel (choriogonadotropin alfa), sales of urinary-based products have decreased.

Of the firm's other main products, turnover of Serostim (somatropin) for AIDS wasting fell 11.4% to $29.5 million, although the company says it should benefit in the future following the resolution of reimbursement issues in some US states. Sales of Saizen (somatropin), for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency in children, increased 18.3% as a result of the success of cool.click, a needle-free device to deliver the drug, which was launched in North America last year. Crinone (progesterone vaginal gel), Serono's treatment for infertility in women, which was recently withdrawn due to a drug application problem (Marketletter April 16), contributed $3.8 million to first-quarter sales.