SOLID VOLUME GROWTH HELPS SANDOZ' SALES

Sandoz of Switzerland has revealed sales for the first six months of 1994 of 8.21 billion Swiss francs ($6.38 billion), an increase of 2% in Swiss francs, but an 8% increase in terms of local currencies. The company said that solid volume growth led to the 8% rise.

In local currency terms, pharmaceutical sales advanced 3% to 3.59 billion francs, but this was a decline of 1% in Swiss franc terms. Total life sciences sales, consisting of pharmaceuticals, nutrition and seeds, amounted to 5.45 billion francs, down 2% (up 4% in local currency terms). Sandoz' chemicals and environment sales were flat at 2.76 billion francs in the first half of the year, but advanced 4% in local currencies.

Sandoz said that if the divestment of Biochemie is taken into account, pharmaceutical sales advanced 4%. Sales of its leading products, the immunosuppressant Sandimmun (ciclosporin), the antifungal agent Lamisil (terbinafine), Clozaril/Leponex (clozapine), and the anticancer agent Sandostatin (octreotide), continued to show vigorous growth, according to Sandoz. The company also said: "there was a promising trend in the market introduction of Lescol (fluvastatin), a lipid-lowering agent, and Neoral," a new formulation of Sandimmun.