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Alcon reports 16.2% increase in first-quarter sales

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HUENENBERG, Switzerland — Alcon reported global sales of $1.54 billion for the first quarter, a 16.2% increase — or 9.4% excluding the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations — compared with the first quarter of 2007, the company announced in a press release.

Net earnings increased to $429.4 million, or $1.43 per diluted share, during the first quarter, a 24% increase compared with $346.2 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2007.

International sales were $864.4 million, an increase of 25.6% — or 12.6% excluding exchange fluctuations. Sales in the United States increased 5.9% to $672.0 million, according to the release.

Pharmaceutical sales rose 13.3% — or 7.8% excluding foreign exchange rate flux — to $628.4 million for the quarter. Specifically, glaucoma product sales increased 13.5%, led by growth in the Travatan (travoprost) and Azopt (brinzolamide) portfolios, as well as the continued market share gains of DuoTrav (travoprost 0.004%, timolol 0.5%) outside the United States and the launch of Travatan Z (travoprost 0.004%) in Japan.

Sales of infection/inflammation products increased 13.2% due to market share gains by Vigamox (moxifloxacin 0.5%) in the United States and growth of TobraDex (tobramycin-dexamethasone) abroad, the release said.

Allergy product sales — including Patanol (olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1%) and Pataday (olopatadine hydrochloride 0.2%) — rose 16.3% in the quarter, according to the release.

Alcon's first-quarter surgical sales rose 20.2% — or 12% on a constant currency basis — to $697.9 million. Specifically, IOL sales increased 23.6% to $260.9 million, an increase the company primarily attributes to a global increase in sales of its AcrySof IQ aspheric IOL, as well as a 71.6% rise in sales of the company's ReSTOR aspheric and AcrySof toric IOLs.