Robust sales for Shire
pharmafile | February 13, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Replagal, Shire, Vpriv, Vyvanse
A rise in the use of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder drugs has helped push Shire’s turnover past $4 billion for the first time.
Sales of the biopharma group’s ADHD brand Vyvanse were up 27% from the year-ago period to $805m, ahead of the 10% growth of the US market in this therapy area.
Overall revenue for the group increased 23% to $4.3 billion and operating income was $1.1 billion (2010: $794 million) in 2011, leading Shire chief executive Angus Russell to applaud ‘another strong year’.
Vyvanse has also been launched in Brazil and filed in Europe, while Shire has also signed a deal with Shionogi to co-develop ADHD treatments in Japan.
Potential new indications for the drug are also in the pipeline, Russell said, which could it generate more revenue in the future.
Meanwhile, Shire’s focus on rare conditions seems to have paid off, with sales of Vpriv (for Gaucher disease) up 79% year on year, Replagal (for Fabry disease) up 35%, and Eleprase (for Hunter Syndrome) up 15 per cent.
Since 2010 Shire has been helped in this area by the travails of rival manufacturer Genzyme, whose manufacturing process has come under scrutiny from regulators.
Russell said Shire’s investment in R&D during 2011 had risen 22% on 2010 and he expected good earnings growth this year.
“In addition, the regulatory processes are progressing well at our new biologics manufacturing facility in Lexington, Massachusetts which will soon enable us to significantly increase capacity to meet growing global demand,” Russell added.
Drugs to be manufactured at the site include Vpriv and Replagal.
In another likely growth area, diabetes, Russell said the company’s Dermagraft – for diabetic foot ulcers – had generated sales of $105 million since Advanced BioHealing was taken over in June.
“Our strategy of focusing on meeting the needs of patients, physicians and payors to deliver value to the healthcare system has led to growing sales across our balanced portfolio of differentiated products,” concluded Russell.
Adam Hill
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