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Alcon global sales up 16.1% in fourth quarter 2006

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HUNENBERG, Switzerland — Alcon experienced about $1.2 billion in global sales for the fourth quarter 2006, a 16.1% increase compared with 2005, with net earnings totaling $354.7 million for the quarter compared with $60.7 million for the fourth quarter 2005, the company announced in a press release.

Earnings in 2005 were affected by a $207.7 million after-tax charge stemming from a patent lawsuit as well as damages sustained to a U.K. manufacturing facility after an explosion at an adjacent oil storage depot, the release said.

Pharmaceutical sales grew 20.4% to $475.9 million, led by sharp increases in sales of the glaucoma medications Travatan (travoprost), Azopt (brinzolamide) and DuoTrav (travoprost 0.004%, timolol 0.5%), as well as the U.S. launch of Travatan Z (benzalkonium chloride-free travoprost). Anti-infection and anti-inflammatory sales grew 22.2%, and allergy product sales increased 12.2%, according to the release.

Surgical sales increased 11.3% to $582.5 million for the quarter. The AcrySof IOL line grew 11.5%, with sales of AcrySof Natural and AcrySof IQ increasing 56.1% globally. Sales of the Infiniti vision system, viscoelastics and procedure packs provided the bulk of $367.1 million in cataract and vitreoretinal product sales, an 11.4% increase over the fourth quarter 2005.

Consumer eye care product sales increased 22.3% to $166.5 million, with $92.2 million coming from a 39.3% increase in global sales of contact lens solutions. Global sales of Systane lubricant eye drops rose 17.6%, totaling $48.7 million.

For the full-year 2006, global sales totaled $4.89 billion, with net earnings of $1.3 billion. Alcon expects full-year 2007 sales between $5.35 billion to $5.45 billion, according to the statement.