Almirall increases sales by 6.4% in 2003
ALMIRALL INCREASES SALES BY 6.4% IN 2003
The company’s products reached sales figures of 886.1 million euros.Almirall broadens its presence in the international market with the launching of the anti-migraine medicine almotriptan in Canada, after its commercialisation in Europe and the United States
Barcelona, 15 April 2004.- Almirall, the first Spanish pharmaceutical multinational, has published its financial results upon the closure of fiscal year 2003. The sale of its products –at ex-factory prices– reached 886.1 million euros, which is an increase of 6.4% compared to fiscal year 2002 (with figures of 833 million euros).
This 2003 figure includes total sales –through both direct sales and licensing agreements– of its products in the domestic market, which totalled 536.8 million euros, an increase of 7.8%, as well as sales in the international market, which totalled 349.3 million euros, a 4.3% increase.
For the current year 2004, forecasts for total sales -through both direct sales and licensing agreements– stand at 956.3 million euros.Sales in the domestic market are estimated at 574.2 million euros and those in the international market at 382.1 million euros.
Likewise, in 2003 Almirall once again confirmed its leading position in Spain, with more than 6% of the total market.
Investment in R&D during 2003 was 86.4 million euros.The forecast for the current fiscal year is 102 million euros.The overall estimate for R&D during the forthcoming five years is 500 million euros.
After Europe and the United States, almotriptan is now being commercialised in Canada
In 2003, the anti-migraine medicine almotriptan, which was wholly researched and developed by Almirall, was approved for commercialisation in Canada.In January 2004, it was launched in that country under the brand name Axert by Janssen-Ortho Canada, a company belonging to the Johnson & Johnson group, which is also in charge of promoting and selling the product in the United States.
Thus, almotriptan, the first Spanish pharmaceutical product to obtain authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration after its approval by the European Medicine Evaluation Agency, is now available for the treatment of migraines in nine out of the ten main world pharmaceutical markets, among them the USA, the United Kingdom and France.
Almirall, the first Spanish pharmaceutical multinational
The main aim of Almirall, the first Spanish pharmaceutical multinational, is to provide society with innovative drugs to combat discomfort and disease, thus helping to improve health and quality of life. To this end, it constantly devotes the maximum human and financial resources to researching new products.
The company’s main research fields are those areas related to the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, allergies, atopic dermatitis, arthritis and gastrointestinal disorders.
The company plans to invest in R&D around 500 million euros in the next five years, and the total sales forecast for 2004 are projected to reach over 956 million euros. Its estimated staff for 2004 is of 3,321 people, of whom 518 are related to R&D activities.
The company also has four research centres and six manufacturing plants, as well as branch offices in the main cities of Spain and subsidiaries in Europe and Latin America.
Its annual production forecast for this year stands at 88 million units, and products resulting from its own R&D are marketed in over 80 countries around the world.