Chugai Pharmaceutical Mid-Term Reports Significant Increase In Sales And Profit

Chugai Pharmaceutical announced mid-year results, and company sales increased by 31.4 percent to ¥191.7 billion. Oncology drugs such as Avastin (bevacizumab) and Heceptin (trastuzumab) contributed to the results. The sales for the colorectal cancer drug Avastin more than doubled, increased by 116.9 percent to ¥15.4 billion. The sales for HER2 positive breast cancer drug Heceptin increased by 50 percent to ¥14.7 billion. Chugai's oncology business as a whole grew by 31.4 percent to ¥57.8 billion. In Japan, Chugai leads the pack and accounts for 17.4 percent of cancer drug sales, a 1.6 percent increase compared to last year. Another major area for Chugai is Actemra (tocilizumab), the sales for the monoclonal antibody drug approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis increased six fold to ¥5.3 billion. Except flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) which saw 16 fold increase due to policy stockpile, Chugai group sales grew by 12.1 percent to ¥160.6 billion, and net profit increased by 39 percent to 26.3 billion. The company also raised whole year estimates. (Click here for more - Japanese language