A positive clinical study on the safety profile of x-ray contrast agent Visipaque led to strong sales growth for the product in the first half of 2003, according to Amersham Health of Buckinghamshire, U.K. Visipaque sales grew 32% in the period, pacing overall sales growth of 9% in Amersham’s x-ray diagnostics portfolio.
Visipaque sales were £56 million ($90.4 million) for the first half (end-June 30). The surge was attributed to the publication of the Nephrotoxic Effects in High-Risk Patients Undergoing Angiography (NEPHRIC) study in the New England Journal of Medicine in February. The study found that Visipaque, an iso-osmolar contrast agent, produced fewer contrast-related adverse effects during angiography than Amersham’s low-osmolar product, Omnipaque.
Amersham’s total sales from x-ray diagnostic products grew 9% to £175 million ($282.4 million), including £108 million ($174.3 million) in contribution from Omnipaque.
In MRI, Amersham’s Omniscan agent generated £50 million in revenues ($80.7 million), up 22%, while the company’s Myoview cardiac radiopharmaceutical produced £73 million ($117.8 million) in revenue, representing growth of 24%.
Overall sales in the company’s medical diagnostics business grew 9% in the first half, from £446 million ($719.7 million) in the first half of 2002 to £457 million ($737.7 million) in the same period of 2003. The company said that sales growth was held back by continued stagnation in Japan and weak sales in the company’s therapy business unit, which includes brachytherapy products. Amersham has spun off its brachytherapy business, merging it with Galil Medical to form a new joint venture, Oncura.
Amersham said its medical diagnostics R&D portfolio is strong, with seven products in phase III clinical trials.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersAugust 6, 2003
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