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Visudyne leads Novartis ophthalmic sales in first quarter 2005
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BASEL, Switzerland — Net sales in specialty medicines for pharmaceutical giant Novartis were 20% higher in the first quarter of 2005 than in the same quarter in 2004, the company announced in a press release.
Net sales of Visudyne (verteporfin for injection) for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration increased 23% during the quarter, “despite the launch in early 2005 of a competing product in the U.S. for the treatment of wet AMD,” the company said in its release. Visudyne had first quarter sales of $124 million.
The company’s consumer health division, including CIBA Vision, reported a net sales increase of 9% to $1.7 billion from last year’s first quarter. CIBA Vision growth came from the U.S. launch of O2Optix breathable contact lenses and the continued success of Focus Dailies lenses, the company said.
Novartis noted that 12-month data for Lucentis (ranibizumab) for the treatment of minimally classic or occult AMD is expected to be announced in the coming quarter. Novartis, with partner Genentech, said it expects 12-month data from a separate phase 3 study of patients with predominantly classic AMD to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2005.