Bayer Group sales increase by approximately 9%

Hannah Blake

pharmaphorum

The Bayer Group has announced its full-year financial results for 2012, which turned out to be very successful for all subgroups. As a whole, sales for the Group grew by 8.8% to €39,760 million, from €36, 528 million in 2011. Earnings before interest or tax declined by 4.6%, largely due to litigation expenses in connection with the Yasmin™/YAZ™ line of oral contraceptives.

Sales of the HealthCare subgroup, contributed by both the pharmaceuticals and consumer health segments, increased by 8.4 % in 2012 to a total of €18,612 million. Sales in the emerging markets and North America developed particularly well, with growth rates around 8%.

The pharmaceutical segment’s top selling product was the anticoagulant Xarelto (Rivaroxaban), which had a growth rate of approximately 266% following its market introduction in further countries and indications. Mostly thanks to a steady expansion of marketing activities in China, sales of Aspirin Cardio, a drug to prevent heart attacks, rose by 12%. Another two products with great sales figures last year were the multiple sclerosis drug Betaferon and the blood-clotting treatment Kogenate.

“We continued to grow dynamically and achieved our targets for the Group. All the subgroups posted gains in sales and earnings before special items.

“We expect to continue our record development in 2013 and beyond.

“Last year’s results were pleasing, and we are also optimistic for 2013.”

Bayer CEO Dr. Marijn Dekkers.

For 2013, Bayer anticipates currency- and portfolio-adjusted sales growth of between 4 and 5%. This corresponds to Group sales of around €41 billion.

Bayer has a strong portfolio of pharmaceutical products that the company believes will make over €5 million over the next few years. These products include Xarelto and eye drug Eylea.