Strong international sales at Recordati

Italian drugmaker Recordati says its consolidated net sales in the firstquarter of 2001 were up 40.4% to 207.5 billion lire ($95.1 million), boosted by the contribution from Bouchara, which was acquired last year (Marketletter May 1, 2000). Operating profits increased 64.6% to 28.5 billion lire, while net income rose 14.4% to 16.2 billion lire.

Pharmaceutical revenues climbed 52.5% to 165.8 billion lire and pharmaceutical chemical sales increased 6.7% to 41.7 billion lire. Recordati noted that its strong performance was principally due to international turnover, which leapt 80.8% and makes up over 60% of total sales, much of which comes from the firm's calcium antagonist Zanidip (lercanidipine).

Chairman Giovanni Recordati said that Zanidip performed particularly well in Germany, and the drug was recently launched in France by partner bioMerieux-Pierre Fabre. Early sales in the latter country have been encouraging, the company said, and growth in other markets has been consolidated. No further details of a US launch for lercanidipine by licensee Forest Laboratories were given.