UCB reports that full-year pretax profits rose 23% to 2.2 billioneuros ($1.99 billion), with pharmaceutical sales increasing 27% to 1.15 billion euros. The drug sector, which saw an increase of 31% in pretax profits to 209 million euros, was driven by the strong performance of the antihistamine Zyrtec (cetirizine) and its follow-up drug Xyzal (levocetirizine). The Belgian company said that prospects for full-year 2001 are good, with sales and earning growth also being driven by its new anti-epileptic drug Keppra (levetiracetam) in the USA and Europe. R&D expenditure last year amounted to 182 million euros compared to 173 million euros in 1999.
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