The CardioMetabolic Care therapeutic area comprises our drugs for treating diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and thyroid disorders. The interrelationships that exist between these chronic cardiovascular and metabolic diseases are the causes of many complex clinical pictures that call for integrated therapeutic approaches. We are continually working to improve well-established products, for example by developing new dosage forms and strengths. In this way, we want to help improve patient compliance, which is often crucial to treatment success.
At € 916 million, sales by the CardioMetabolic Care therapeutic area remained at the previous year’s level owing to adverse currency effects. Organically, however, we posted a slight increase. A decline in sales of beta-blockers was offset by higher sales of diabetes and thyroid medicines.
Our other products, some of which are only sold in certain regions, generated sales of € 927 million.
Difficult environment for Concor® in Europe – strong sales internationally
Sales of branded Concor® products containing the active ingredient bisoprolol amounted to € 395 million, making this the top-selling franchise within CardioMetabolic Care. In comparison with 2008, sales decreased by 5.4%, primarily as a result of a 12% decline in Europe, our largest market, where bisoprolol remains the leading beta-blocker in products such as Lodoz® and Concor®COR. The introduction of generic versions of Lodoz® in late 2008 and Concor®COR in mid-2009 in France, our largest market within Europe, the transfer of several products to Daiichi Sankyo in Italy, as well as negative currency effects, especially in Poland and the United Kingdom, were responsible for lower sales in Europe. In Asia, Africa, Australasia and especially in Latin America, however, the Concor® family recorded an increase in sales.
Successful development of the Glucophage® franchise
According to estimates, around 220 million people have type 2 diabetes and the number is rising. The active ingredient metformin, which is contained in our product Glucophage®, is the drug of choice for first-line treatment of this condition and is recommended by international diabetes associations. More than six million patients around the world benefit from our oral metformin antidiabetic agents.
The branded products from the Glucophage® family generated sales of € 291 million, despite generic competition and currency effects. The 8.5% increase in sales was due mainly to successes in Latin America and many Asian countries as well as the good development of more recent product line extensions. In particular, sales of Glucophage XR® – a once-daily formulation that we launched in a 1000 mg dosage strength in 2009 – increased sharply. With Glucophage® Powder, which we introduced in May 2009 in Europe, we now offer a dosage form that is immediately soluble and represents an alternative to tablets. It is especially convenient for patients who need to take numerous medications.
Stable business with thyroid products
Merck Serono is the world’s second largest supplier of drugs to treat thyroid disorders as well as to prevent iodine deficiency diseases. In Europe, Latin America and China, we are the market leader. Thyroid disorders are one of the most prevalent diseases. More than 300 million people around the world suffer from hypothyroidism; not even 20% of them are treated. We want to educate patients about these disorders and promote optimum treatment. In May, we launched an awareness campaign together with the International Thyroid Federation. In China, we are working with the Chinese Ministry of Health in order to inform the public about thyroid disorders.
Sales of our products to treat thyroid disorders grew by 5.3% over the previous year to € 158 million. We achieved far more than half of sales in Europe. Sales of the thyroid hormone Euthyrox® increased by 6.5% to € 137 million. Approximately 14 million patients in about 90 countries around the world are treated with Euthyrox®.
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