Sales by the Roche Group in the first nine months of 2008 increased by 6% in local currencies (-2% in Swiss francs; 13% in US dollars) to 33.3 billion Swiss francs. Excluding Tamiflu pandemic sales to governments and corporations, sales rose 10% (2% in Swiss francs; 17% in US dollars). The rise in the Swiss franc against most currencies, particularly against the US dollar, resulted in Swiss franc growth being eight percentage points lower than growth in local currencies. Roche Group
- Group sales up 10% in local currencies to 33.2 billion Swiss francs, excluding Tamiflu pandemic sales
- Including Tamiflu pandemic sales, Group sales total 33.3 billion francs, an increase of 6% in local currencies and 13% in US dollars, and a decline of 2% in Swiss francs
- Roche confirms full-year outlook
- Roche reaffirms commitment to Genentech offer
Pharmaceuticals Division
- Sales advance 10% in local currencies* â twice the global market growth rate
- Growth driven by key products in oncology, autoimmune, virology, metabolism/bone and transplantation portfolios
- Promising launch of Actemra for rheumatoid arthritis in Japan, Roche continuing to work with FDA following receipt of complete response letter in September
Diagnostics Division
- Divisional sales again outpace the market, increasing 11% in local currencies
- Professional Diagnostics and Applied Science continue to drive growth
- Diabetes Care posts solid growth in Latin America, AsiaâPacific and Japan, more than offsetting lower US sales
- Ventana continues to exceed expectations as integration nears successful completion
Unless otherwise stated, all growth rates are in local currencies
* Excluding Tamiflu pandemic salesCommenting on the Group's sales performance in the first nine months of 2008, Roche CEO Severin Schwan said: "The Roche Group maintained its strong growth in the third quarter. Sales by both the Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics divisions1 advanced at double-digit rates in local currencies, clearly outgrowing their respective markets. Based on this performance, we again expect a good full-year result and confirm our outlook for 2008. We are also pleased that the newly acquired Ventana business continues to exceed expectations and that the integration process is well advanced."
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the worldâs leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2007 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 36.8 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 9.3 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested over 8 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Group employs about 80,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.roche.com.