Zeltia's 3rd-qtr sales jump 24% on Yondelis

The Spanish Zeltia group says net sales in the third quarter of 2008 expanded 24% year-on-year to 82.7 million euros ($103.0 million), as earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortization improved 30.3%, reflecting the higher turnover and payment received from its partner on cancer drug Yondelis (trabectedin), US health care major Johnson & Johnson.

Yondelis is being rolled out on schedule in the various countries, and net sales through September amounted to 19.8 million euros, which is above the firm's expectations. During the period, R&D expenditure increased 10.1% to 39.5 million euros. A pivotal trial with Yondelis in ovarian cancer yielded positive results. Zeltia subsidiary PharmaMar and J&J began drafting the application for the registration of the agent for this indication to be presented to the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration before the end of 2008.