23 April 2020 - Deborah Wilkes
Genomma Lab and Ipsen have released financial results while Mundipharma is testing Betadine against COVID-19.
Genomma Lab grows 6.3%
Genomma Lab reported sales of MXN3.33 billion (USD135 million) in the first quarter of 2020, representing a rise of 6.3% compared to the same period a year earlier.
Chief executive officer Jorge Brake said the “unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has presented Genomma Lab with challenges as well as important opportunities to step up our production and distribution”.
The Mexican company said it had started producing and distributing a new line of antibacterial products under the XL-3 brand in Mexico and the Next brand in the US.
Initial production had focused on antibacterial gel sanitiser, said the company, but the plan was to expand into hand soap, disinfecting towels and sprays, and other related products.
Genomma's OTC sales increased by 10.2% to MXN1.71 billion in the first quarter quarter of 2020, accounting for 51.1% of the company's total sales. The rest of Genomma's sales came from personal care products.
OTC sales in Mexico were up by 10.7% to MXN871 million, and OTC sales in Latin America rose by 9.8% to MXN612 million. In the US, OTC sales were up by 9.5% to MXN223 million.
Genomma is present in 19 countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and the US.
Consumer Healthcare down at Ipsen
Ipsen said sales by its Consumer Healthcare business had dropped by 21.5% as reported to EUR52.0 million (USD55.9 million) in the first quarter of 2020. Excluding the impact of currency translations, sales were down by 21.9%.
The French pharmaceutical company said the fall was “mainly related to China with the negative impact of the implementation of hospital central procurement and COVID-19”.
The gastrointestinal product Smecta was Consumer Healthcare's largest product but sales were down by 40.5% at constant currencies to EUR17.9 million.
Sales of the second-largest product, the Tanakan ginkgo biloba product, were up by 7.9% at constant currencies to EUR10.2 million. Ipsen said the rise had been driven by a “positive market dynamic in Russia”.
The Forlax laxative recorded sales up by 15.7% at constant currencies to EUR9.8 million.
Sales of Fortrans/Eziclen decreased by 13.8% at constant currencies to EUR6.8 million. Ipsen said the fall had been driven by China and Vietnam.
The Consumer Healthcare business generated 7.9% of Ipsen’s sales of EUR655 million in the first quarter of 2020, which were up by 9.6% as reported compared to the same period a year earlier. Excluding currency translations, sales were up by 8.7%.
The majority of Ipsen's sales – 92.1% – came from the Specialty Care business, which reported sales up by 13.5% to EUR603 million.
Ipsen said the COVID-19 pandemic had had a limited impact on its sales in the first quarter of 2020, thanks to the company’s “resilient Specialty Care product portfolio comprised mostly of highly-differentiated treatments for critical conditions”.
The company said it continued to operate all of its manufacturing sites. Levels of inventory were adequate and no supply chain issues were anticipated, added Ipsen, noting there was limited disruption to ongoing clinical trials
Mundipharma evaluates Betadine
Mundipharma plans to carry out a series of studies – both in vivo and in vitro – to evaluate the effectiveness of its Betadine antiseptic products against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The company pointed out that Betadine, which contains povidone-iodine, was highly effective against a wide range of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi.
The Betadine brand offers a range of products for colds and flu, feminine care, protective care and wound care.