19 February 2019 - Deborah Wilkes
Ipsen, BioGaia and Probi have all recently released financial results.
Ipsen sees "good performance" from Smecta
Worldwide sales by Ipsen's Consumer Healthcare business fell by 2.9% at constant currencies to EUR300 million (USD340 million) in 2018. As reported, the fall was 5.2% compared to 2017.
The French pharmaceutical company said the performance had been impacted by a new contractual set up in China for Etiasa. Excluding Etiasa, sales would have been up by 2.7%.
Ipsen said this 2.7% rise had been driven by a "good performance" by the antidiarrhoeal Smecta and the contribution from products acquired in 2017.
Consumer Healthcare's largest product was Smecta, with sales up by 5.3% at constant currencies to EUR127 million. Ipsen said the rise had been driven by good growth in China – impacted by a negative inventory impact in 2017 – and France, as well as Korea, Russia and Central Asia.
Sales of the Forlax laxative dropped by 4.4% at constant currencies to EUR39.8 million, while sales of the Tanakan ginkgo biloba product fell by 6.0% at constant currencies to EUR37.7 million.
The Consumer Healthcare business generated 13.5% of Ipsen's total sales in 2018, which were up by 20.1% at constant currencies to EUR2.22 billion.
The majority of Ipsen's sales – 86.5% – came from the Specialty Care business, which reported sales up by 24.7% at constant currencies to EUR1.92 billion.
BioGaia grows by 23%
BioGaia reported worldwide sales up by 23% to SEK210 million (USD22.5 million) in the fourth quarter of 2018. Excluding the impact of currency translations, sales were up by 16%.
The Paediatrics business of the Swedish probiotics specialist recorded sales up by 14% to SEK158 million, and sales by the Adult Health business were up by 58% to SEK49.1 million.
Operating profit was up by 21% to SEK75.1 million, giving a margin of 36%. BioGaia noted its accounting standards had been changed and operating profit would have grown by 12% without the changes.
Probi's sales up by 36%
Probi's worldwide sales increased by 36% as reported to SEK163 million (USD17.5 million) in the fourth quarter of 2018. At constant currencies, the rise was 31%.
The Swedish probiotics specialist said the rise was due to "continued recovery from a customer-specific destocking programme by one of Probi's major customers in 2017".
Sales in the full year 2018 were down by 1% as reported to SEK604 million. At constant currencies, the fall was 2%.
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