Novo Nordisk e Diabete - gz
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By: GZ on Venerdì 19 Agosto 2005 14:01
Una delle cose su cui investire nei prossimi anni sono le terapie e farmaci per il diabete perchè sembra che il trend al sovrappeso di milioni di persone nel mondo sia inarrestabile e si rafforzi con il miglioramento continuo del livello di reddito (anche se non sembra visto dall'Italia, ogni anno in media il reddito nel mondo aumenta del 2%). E senza essere degli esperti è sufficiente leggere un poco (o parlare con parenti e conoscenti afflitti da diabete) per vedere che essere in sovrappeso è uno dei fattori principali nella sua diffusione (vedi anche la rassegna di Barron's di due settimane fa)
A questo proposito in Europa c'è in Danimarca la Novo Nordisk, uno dei maggiori produttori al mondo di farmaci a base di insulina, le cui vendite legate al diabete sono salite del +63% l'anno scorso e gli utili del +32% nell'ultimo trimestre. Costa 20 volte gli utili
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Novo Nordisk 2Q Net Pft +32%; NovoSeven Delayed
By Frances Schwartzkopff
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
COPENHAGEN (Dow Jones)--Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO), one of the world's leading makers of diabetes treatment products, Thursday reported a 32% jump in second-quarter net profit, propelled by sales of its high-margin designer insulin, and upgraded its 2005 operating profit forecast.
The Copenhagen-based company also said it is withdrawing from registering in Europe its blood-clotting medicine, NovoSeven, for use in treating trauma injuries, and will resubmit an application at a later, unspecified date.
Novo Nordisk said it had a net profit of 1.68 billion kroner ($1=DKK6.0112) in the second quarter, up from DKK1.27 billion a year earlier.
Sales climbed 16%, to DKK8.28 billion, led by a 63% rise in revenue from insulin analogues. Sales of these manufactured hormones, which are more convenient for patients to take than older products, jumped to DKK1.69 billion.
Total diabetes care sales rose 15%, to DKK5.84 billion.
Novo Nordisk now has a worldwide market share of more than 50% in insulin products and one-third of the worldwide market for insulin analogues, Chief Financial Officer Jesper Brandgaard said.
In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Brandgaard said Novo Nordisk has gained market share in two of the three categories of insulin analogues: rapid-actingand premixed, which are taken by patients requiring two kinds of insulin.
The third category is long-acting and Novo Nordisk in June received U.S. approval to sell its product, Levemir, which already was approved in 37 other countries. Novo Nordisk has a U.S. market share of more than 40% in long-acting, non-analogue insulin, and so "it's a big opportunity for us," Brandgaard said.
"Levemir is the missing link."
Novo Nordisk Thursday upgraded its full-year operating profit outlook, saying it now expects the figure to grow by 10% rather than the 5% previously forecast.
It cited the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. Last year's operating profit stood at DKK6.98 billion.
The company also boosted slightly its sales outlook, saying revenue would grow by 12-15% rather than the 10-15% previously forecast. Sales reached DKK29.03 billion in 2004.
The market had expected an outlook upgrade. But the results beat expectations, helping offset the mildly disappointing development in NovoSeven.
Novo Nordisk shares closed down DKK4.5, or 1.4%, at DKK321.50, in a lower broader market.
Novo Nordisk is working to broaden its portfolio, and NovoSeven, already on the market to treat hemophiliacs, is considered to be among its most promising drugs. The company is testing NovoSeven for its usefulness in treating other conditions such as strokes and trauma injuries, and the market is closely monitoring the results.
Earlier this year, Novo Nordisk sought approval from European authorities to sell NovoSeven to treat traumatic injuries based on only Phase II testing, skipping over Phase III. Thursday, it said after discussions with authorities it has decided to wait to seek approval until after current Phase III testing is completed.
"There had been some hopes" that authorities would approve the drug based on Phase II testing, said one analyst who declined to be named. But, he noted, "it's not a huge negative."
Brandgaard said Novo Nordisk will increase the number of patients involved in the Phase III testing for trauma outside the U.S. to 1,000 from 650. That increase will push out the deadline for the drug's approval by another six months, he said.
That means it will now take around four years to get approval for its use in trauma injuries.
The drug's U.S. approval for trauma is more uncertain, he said. Unlike European authorities, U.S. authorities aren't allowing Novo Nordisk to proceed with testing of the drug unless they get prior approval from patients, he said.
The company originally had expected to launch a trial involving 1,000 patients.
"It's going to be more tricky recruiting patients," Brandgaard said. As aconsequence, Novo Nordisk is weighing its options and will inform that market in the next several months of its plans.
Novo Nordisk said the trial for gaining approval to market the drug for treating strokes worldwide will be delayed by six months, meaning it will take three years to get clearance, Brandgaard said.
Novo Nordisk also said European authorities had tentatively approved its premixed analogue insulin products NovoMix 50 and NovoMix 70, and it would seekmarketing approval for them sometime later this year. The company also is now seeking U.S. approval to market the drugs.