BRUSSELS: Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB reported a 6 percent rise in revenue in the first nine months of 2014 as improved sales of its leading three drugs easily made up for erosion of a former blockbuster and maintained its full-year outlook.
The company, which makes drugs targeted at diseases of the immune and central nervous systems, said on Friday revenue in the Jan-Sept period increased to 2.65 billion euros.
UCB repeated its expectation for 2014 revenue of between 3.5 and 3.6 billion euros, recurring core profit (EBITDA) of 740-770 million euros and core earnings per share of 1.90-2.05 euros.
UCB said sales of epilepsy treatment Vimpat, one of three major new drugs launched in recent years, rose 14 percent in the Jan-Sept period to 335 million euros.
Sales of Cimzia, to treat bowel disorder Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, were 32 percent higher at 561 million euros.
Sales of Neupro, for Parkinson's disease and restless leg syndrome, increased by 15 percent to 148 million euros.
The increases more than offset a 5 percent decline in sales of epilepsy treatment Keppra, UCB's former blockbuster drug now facing generic competition.
UCB has a host of other older treatments, including for allergies and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which are off patent in Europe and North America.
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