Empresas y finanzas

Ipsen?s First Quarter 2008 Sales



    Regulatory News:
    Ipsen (Paris:IPN) reported today its sales for the first quarter 2008.
    First quarter 2008 unaudited IFRS consolidated sales

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    (in million euros)

    2008

    2007

    % change
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Underlying Group sales (1)

    236.5

    218.3

    +8.4%
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    SALES BY REGION

    - - - - - -

    Major Western European countries

    134.8

    138.8

    (2.9%)(2)
    - - - - - -

    Other European countries

    60.1

    52.7

    +14.2%
    - - - - - -

    Rest of the world

    43.9

    35.2

    +24.8%
    - - - - - -

    Group Sales

    238.9

    226.7

    +5.4%
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    SALES BY PRODUCT

    - - - - - -

    Specialist Care

    132.9

    121.2

    +9.7%
    - - - - - -

    Primary care

    94.5

    96.8

    (2.4%)(2)
    - - - - - -

    Total Drug Sales

    227.4

    218.0

    +4.3%
    - - - - - -

    Drug-related Sales

    11.5

    8.7

    +31.4%
    - - - - - -

    Group Sales

    238.9

    226.7

    +5.4%
    - - - - - -

    NOTE 1. "underlying Group sales" is defined as Group sales at constant currency, and excluding Ginkor Fort® sales which was sold to GTF Group as of 1 January 2008.
    NOTE 2. 2007 sales include in-market sales of Ginkor Fort® wherehas 2008 mostly includes sales of the product to GTF.
    Consolidated Group sales reached ?238.9

    million, up 5.4% year-on-year. Underlying Group sales (excluding Ginkor

    Fort® sales, sold to GTF Group on 1 January 2008, and at constant currency)

    grew by a strong 8.4% year-on-year despite price pressure, which

    represented (0.3) points of growth, or ?(0.6)

    million. Therefore, in volume, underlying Group sales grew by a solid

    8.7% year-on year.
    This increase was fuelled notably by the strong growth in endocrinology

    and neuromuscular disorders franchises, up 15.7% and 24.9% respectively

    over the period and by the strong performance of gastroenterology

    products, up 9.6% year-on-year.
    Sales generated in the Major Western European countries amounted to ?134.8

    million, down 2.9% year-on-year. Excluding the sales of Ginkor Fort®

    sales in this region were flat year-on-year, due to negative price

    impacts, notably on Decapeptyl® in Italy and to a decrease in Tanakan® sales in France. Sales in Major Western European countries

    represented 56.4% of Group sales compared with 61.2% a year earlier.
    Sales generated in the Other European countries reached ?60.1

    million, up 14.2% year-on-year, mainly driven by strong growth of Tanakan® and Dysport® in

    Russia and Decapeptyl®

    Dysport®, Tanakan® and Smecta® in

    Eastern European countries. Sales in Other European countries

    represented 25.2% of Group sales, against 23.2% a year earlier.
    Sales generated in the Rest of the World reached ?43.9

    million, up 24.8% year-on-year thanks to the growth of Decapeptyl® and Forlax® in

    China, Dysport® in

    Brazil, and Somatuline® in the United States. Sales in Rest of the World represented 18.4% of

    Group sales, against 15.5% a year earlier.
    About Ipsen
    Ipsen is an innovation-driven international specialty pharmaceutical

    group with over 20 products on the market and a total worldwide staff of

    nearly 4,000. Its development strategy is based on a combination of

    specialty products, which are growth drivers, in targeted therapeutic

    areas (oncology, endocrinology and neuromuscular disorders), and primary

    care products which contribute significantly to its research financing.

    The location of its four Research & Development centres (Paris, Boston

    Barcelona, London) and its peptide and protein engineering platform give

    the Group a competitive edge in gaining access to leading university

    research teams and highly qualified personnel. More than 700 people in

    R&D are dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative drugs

    for patient care.This strategy is also supported by an active policy of

    partnerships. In 2007, Research and Development expenditure was about ?185

    million, in excess of 20% of consolidated sales, which amounted to ?920.5

    million while total revenues amounted to ?993.8

    million. Ipsen´s shares are traded on

    Segment A of Eurolist by EuronextTM (stock

    code: IPN, ISIN code: FR0010259150). Ipsen´s

    shares are eligible to the "Service de Règlement

    Différé" ("SRD") and the

    Group is part of the SBF 120 index. For more information on Ipsen, visit

    our website at www.ipsen.com.
    Ipsen Forward-looking statements
    The forward-looking statements and targets contained herein are based on

    Ipsen´s management´s current views and assumptions. Such statements

    involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual

    results, performance or events to differ materially from those

    anticipated herein. The targets contained herein were prepared without

    taking into account external growth assumptions, which may alter the

    parameters. These targets are based on data and assumptions regarded as

    reasonable by the Group and depend on conditions or facts likely to

    happen in the future, and not exclusively on historical data. Actual

    results may depart significantly from the targets given the occurrence

    of certain risks and uncertainties. The Group does not commit nor gives

    any guarantee that it will meet the targets mentioned above. Moreover

    the Research and Development process involves several stages at each of

    which there is a substantial risk that the Group will fail to achieve

    its objectives and be forced to abandon its efforts in respect of a

    product in which it has invested significant sums. Therefore, the Group

    cannot be certain that favourable results obtained during pre-clinical

    trials will be confirmed subsequently during clinical trials, or that

    the results of clinical trials will be sufficient to demonstrate the

    safe and effective nature of the product concerned. Moreover, the

    targets described in this document were prepared without taking into

    account external growth assumptions, which may alter these parameters.

    These targets are based on data and assumptions regarded as reasonable

    by the Group. These targets depend on conditions or facts likely to

    happen in the future, and not exclusively on historical data. Actual

    results may depart significantly from these targets given the occurrence

    of certain risks and uncertainties. The Group does not commit nor gives

    any guarantee that it will meet the targets mentioned above. Ipsen

    expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise

    any forward looking statements, targets or estimates contained in this

    press release to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions

    or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so

    required by applicable law. Ipsen´s business is subject to the risk

    factors outlined in its information documents filed with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers.
    APPENDIX
    Risk factors
    The Group carries on business in an environment which is undergoing

    rapid change and exposes its operations to a number of risks, some of

    which are outside its control. The risks and uncertainties set out below

    are not exhaustive and the reader is advised to refer to Ipsen´s

    2006 Registration Document available on its website (www.ipsen.com).

    The Group is dependent on the setting of prices for medicines and is

    vulnerable to the possible withdrawal of certain products from the

    list of reimbursable products by governments or by the relevant

    regulatory authorities in the countries where it does business.

    A number of products that the Group is developing are still at the

    very first stages of development and the Group cannot be certain that

    these products will be approved by the competent regulatory

    authorities and that they will be successfully marketed.

    The Group depends on third parties to develop and market some of its

    products, which generates substantial royalties for the Group, but

    these third parties could behave in ways which cause damage to the

    Group´s business.

    The Group´s competitors could infringe its

    patents or circumvent them through design innovations. In order to

    prevent infringements, the Group could engage in patent litigation

    which is costly and time-consuming. It is difficult to monitor the

    unauthorised use of the Group´s

    intellectual property rights and it could find itself unable to

    prevent the unlawful appropriation of its intellectual property rights.

    The Group must deal with or may have to deal with competition (i) from

    generic products, (ii) products which, although they are not strictly

    identical to the Group´s products or which

    have not demonstrated their bioequivalence, may obtain a marketing

    authorisation for indications similar to those of the Group´s

    products pursuant to the bibliographic reference regulatory procedure

    (well established medicinal use) before the patents protecting its

    products expire, in particular Tanakan® and (iii) products sold for unauthorised uses when the protection

    afforded by patent law to the Group´s

    products and those of its competitors expires. Such a situation could

    result in the Group losing market share which could affect its current

    level of growth in sales or profitability. To avoid such situations or

    to reduce their impact, the Group could bring legal actions against

    the counterfeiters in order to protect its rights.

    Major developments in the period under review
    During the first quarter 2008, the major developments included:

    On March 17, 2008 "“ Medicis and Ipsen

    announced that Ipsen has submitted a Biologics License Application ("BLA")

    for the botulinum toxin type A, Reloxin®

    in aesthetic indications (glabellar lines) to the U.S. Food and Drug

    Administration´s ("FDA")

    Division of Dermatology and Dental Products, within the Center for

    Drug Evaluation and Research.

    On February 25, 2008 "“ Ipsen announced

    that GTx Inc., from which it licensed the European rights for Acapodene® (toremifene citrate 80 mg) in September 2006, presented the results of

    the first phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of

    toremifene citrate 80mg daily, on multiple side effects of androgen

    deprivation therapy (ADT) in advanced prostate cancer patients. Ipsen

    also announced its intention to submit the toremifene citrate 80 mg

    dossier in Europe before year-end 2008.

    On February 21, 2008 "“ Ipsen announced

    that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the

    European Medicines Agency (EMEA) provided a positive opinion for

    Adenuric® (febuxostat) 80 mg and 120 mg

    tablets for the treatment of chronic hyperuricaemia in gout and

    recommended it for marketing authorisation.

    On February 12, 2008 "“ Ipsen announced

    that its partner Debiopharm presented the results of a phase III study

    with its new 6-month formulation of Decapeptyl®

    a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonist (LHRHa) for the

    treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The results presented showed

    similar efficacy and safety to the already marketed 1- and 3-month

    formulations of triptorelin.

    On January 31, 2008 "“ Ipsen announced that

    the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the filing of its

    BLA for Dysport® in the United States to treat patients with cervical dystonia.

    European governments continued to introduce various measures to reduce

    public healthcare spending, which affected the Group´s

    sales and earnings during 2008:

    On 15 June 2007, a 10% price cut on Tanakan® in France as of 1 July 2007 was published in the Journal Officiel.

    In the United Kingdom the Department of Health has approved list price

    increases as of 1 June 2007 from 6.7 % to 9.6% for Dysport®

    Somatuline® and

    NutropinAq® thanks to over-delivery of savings to the Department due to

    over-budget sales performance of Decapeptyl®.

    Comparison of consolidated sales for the first quarters 2008 and 2007:
    Sales by geographical region
    Group sales by geographical region for the first quarter 2008 and 2007

    were as follows:

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    (in thousand euros)

    2008

    2007

    % change
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    France

    75,759

    84,793

    (10.7%)
    - - - - - -

    Spain

    14,706

    14,010

    5.0%
    - - - - - -

    Italy

    18,043

    18,558

    (2.8%)
    - - - - - -

    Germany

    16,085

    11,685

    37.7%
    - - - - - -

    United Kingdom

    10,218

    9,782

    4.5%
    - - - - - -

    Major Western European countries

    134,811

    138,828

    (2.9%)
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Other European countries

    60,123

    52,657

    14.2%
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Asia

    24,362

    20,866

    16.8%
    - - - - - -

    North America

    1,126

    ns

    ns
    - - - - - -

    Other countries in the rest of the world

    18,442

    14,342

    28.6%
    - - - - - -

    Rest of the world

    43,929

    35,208

    24.8%
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Group Sales

    238,864

    226,693

    5.4%
    - - - - - -

    For the first quarter 2008, sales generated in the Major Western

    European countries amounted to ?134.8

    million, down 2.9% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?138.8

    million). Excluding the sales of Ginkor Fort®

    sales were flat year-on-year, due to negative price impacts, notably on

    Decapeptyl® in

    Italy and to a decrease in Tanakan® sales in France following a 10% price cut implemented on July 1, 2007

    and an increased competitive environment. Sales in this region

    represented 56.4% of total sales compared with 61.2% a year earlier.
    France "“ For the first quarter 2008

    sales reached ?75.8 million, down 10.7%

    year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?84.8

    million), strongly impacted by the price cut on Tanakan® and by the transfer of the marketing authorisations of Ginkor

    Fort® for France

    Monaco and Andorra to GTF group as of 1 January 2008. These negative

    impacts did offset the good performances of all the other products

    notably Nisis® &

    Nisisco®

    NutropinAq®

    Dysport®

    Somatuline® and Smecta®.

    The weight of France in the Group´s

    consolidated sales continued to decline, representing 31.7% of total

    Group sales against 37.4% a year earlier.
    Spain "“ For the first quarter 2008

    sales reached ?14.7 million, up 5.0%

    year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?14.0

    million) fuelled by the double digit growth of Somatuline® and NutropinAq®

    despite an increased competitive environment for Decapeptyl®.
    Italy "“ For the first quarter 2008

    sales reached ?18.0 million, down 2.8%

    year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?18.6

    million), despite the negative price pressure on Decapeptyl®.

    Sales in Italy represented 7.6% of total Group sales against 8.2% a year

    earlier.
    Germany "“ For the first quarter 2008

    sales reached ?16.1 million, up 37.7%

    year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?11.7

    million), thanks to the strong growth of Decapeptyl®

    doubling sales year-on-year, as well as the double digit growth of

    Dysport® and Somatuline® .
    United Kingdom "“ For the first

    quarter 2008, sales reached ?10.2 million

    up 4.5% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?9.8

    million) or 17.9% in local currency with all products displaying solid

    volume growth partly offset by a negative foreign exchange impact of ?1.1

    million.
    For the first quarter 2008, sales generated in the Other European

    countries reached ?60.1 million, up

    14.2% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?52.7

    million) mainly driven by strong volume growth of Tanakan® and Dysport® in

    Russia and Decapeptyl®

    Dysport®, Tanakan® and Smecta® in

    Eastern European countries. Over the same period, sales in this region

    represented 25.2% of total consolidated Group sales, against 23.2% a

    year earlier.
    For the first quarter 2008, sales generated in the Rest of the World reached ?43.9 million, up 24.8% year-on-year

    (first quarter 2007, ?35.2 million) thanks

    to the volume growth of Decapeptyl® and Forlax® in

    China, Dysport® in

    Brazil, and Somatuline® in the United States. Sales in this region represented 18.4% of total

    consolidated Group sales, against 15.5% a year earlier.
    Sales by therapeutic area and by product
    The following table shows sales by products, regrouped by therapeutic

    areas for the first quarter 2008 and 2007:

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    (in thousand euros)

    2008

    2007

    % change
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Oncology

    60,800

    61,145

    (0.6%)
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Decapeptyl® (1)

    60,798

    61,135

    (0.6%)
    - - - - - -

    Endocrinology

    36,463

    31,520

    15.7%
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Somatuline® (1)

    28,402

    25,217

    12.6%
    - - - - - -

    NutropinAq® (1)

    7,196

    5,742

    25.3%
    - - - - - -

    Increlex® (1)

    270

    ns
    - - - - - -

    Neuromuscular disorders

    35,629

    28,520

    24.9%
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Dysport® (1)

    35,629

    28,520

    24.9%
    - - - - - -

    Specialist Care

    132,892

    121,184

    9.7%
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Gastroenterology

    46,621

    42,537

    9.6%
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Smecta®

    24,573

    22,863

    7.5%
    - - - - - -

    Forlax®

    13,486

    11,897

    13.4%
    - - - - - -

    Cognitive disorders

    26,569

    31,023

    (14.4%)
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Tanakan®

    26,569

    31,023

    (14.4%)
    - - - - - -

    Cardiovascular

    18,131

    22,233

    (18.5%)
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Nisis® & Nisisco®

    12,625

    11,801

    7.0%
    - - - - - -

    Ginkor Fort®

    4,423

    8,398

    (47.3%)
    - - - - - -

    Other Primary Care products

    3,158

    971

    ns
    - - - - - -

    of which

    Adrovanceâ„¢

    1,971

    ns
    - - - - - -

    Primary care

    94,479

    96,764

    (2.4%)
    - - - - - -

    - - - - - -

    Total Drug sales

    227,371

    217,949

    4.3%
    - - - - - -

    Drug-related sales

    11,493

    8,744

    31.4%
    - - - - - -

    Group Sales

    238,864

    226,693

    5.4%
    - - - - - -

    (1) Peptide- or protein-based products

    - - - - - -

    For the first quarter 2008, sales of specialist care products reached

    ?132.9 million, up 9.7% year-on-year (first

    quarter 2007, ?121.2 million), representing

    55.6% of the Group´s consolidated sales

    against 53.5% a year earlier.

    In the oncology franchise, sales of Decapeptyl® reached ?60.8 million for the

    first quarter 2008, down 0.6% year-on-year, compared with a strong

    first quarter 2007, which benefited from sustained sales in the Middle

    East. Solid growth in China, Germany and in the United Kingdom was

    offset by a slow-down in France and the Middle East.

    In endocrinology, sales reached ?36.5

    million for the first quarter 2008, up 15.7% year-on-year (first

    quarter 2007, ?31.5 million), driven by

    the strong performance of Somatuline® in all markets.

    Somatuline® -- For the first quarter 2008, sales reached ?28.4

    million, up 12.6% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?25.2

    million) fuelled by strong volume growth in Germany, Spain, Nordic

    countries and Belgium, where the product continued to gain market share

    and by the launch of Somatuline® Depot in the United States, as the Group books the sales of the product

    to Tercica Inc..
    NutropinAq® -- For the first quarter 2008, sales reached ?7.2

    million, up 25.3% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?5.7

    million) driven by strong performance in all countries, especially in

    France, Italy, Spain and Romania.
    Increlex® "“ For the first quarter 2008, sales of

    Increlex® reached ?0.3 million. The product has has

    been launched in Germany and the United Kingdom and is being rolled out

    in Italy and Spain.

    In the neuromuscular disorders franchise, Dysport® sales reached ?35.6 million, up 24.9%

    year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?28.5

    million), fuelled by strong growth in Russia, Germany and in the

    United Kingdom along with strong sales in Brazil compared to a low base"“line

    in the first quarter of last year.

    In the first quarter 2008, sales of Primary Care products reached ?94.5

    million, down 2.4% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?96.8

    million), negatively impacted by slower sales in France resulting

    notably from the the price cuts enforced on Tanakan® in July 2007 and from the divestment of Ginkor Fort® in January 2008. Sales of Primary care drugs outside of the Major

    Western European countries continued to perform well, notably

    gastroenterology products in China. Primary Care products represented

    39.6% of the Group´s consolidated sales over

    the period, against 42.7% a year earlier.

    In gastroenterology, sales reached ?46.6

    million, up 9.6% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?42.5

    million).

    Smecta® -- For the first quarter 2008, sales reached ?24.6

    million, up 7.5% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?22.9

    million), thanks to strong sales in Algeria, China and France, where a

    new formulation was recently launched.
    Forlax® -- For the first quarter 2008, sales reached ?13.5

    million, up 13.4% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?11.9

    million), with particularly strong sales growth in China, Italy and

    Belgium. As a consequence, the relative weight of France in the overall

    sales of the product, amounted to only 67.0% in the first quarter of

    2008, from 76.5% a year ago.

    In the cognitive disorders area, sales of Tanakan® for the first quarter of 2008 reached ?26.6

    million, down 14.4% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?31.0

    million) following the implementation of a 10% price reduction by the

    French Comité Économique

    des Produits de Santé on July 1, 2007.

    The sales of Tanakan® were also negatively impacted by an increased

    competitive environment in France, following the launch, mid 2007, of

    a new product containing a Ginkgo biloba extract. Sales of Tanakan® in France represented only 50.1% of total product sales compared with

    64.7% a year earlier as sales growth of the product outside of France

    reached 21.2% over the period.

    In the cardiovascular area, sales in the first quarter 2008

    amounted to ?18.1 million, down 18.5%

    year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?22.2

    million), mainly due to the divestment of Ginkor Fort® as of January 2008 to GTF.

    Nisis® and Nisisco® -- For the first quarter 2008, sales reached ?12.6

    million, up 7.0% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?11.8

    million).
    Ginkor Fort® -- For the first quarter 2008, sales amounted to ?4.4

    million, down 47.3% year-on-year (first quarter 2007, ?8.4

    million), reflecting the supply sales of the product to GTF and the

    sound performance of Ginkor Fort® in an OTC setting.

    Other primary care products sales reached ?3.2

    million for the first quarter 2008, against ?1.0

    million a year earlier, with sales of Adrovanceâ„¢ launched in France in April 2007 contributing to ?2.0

    million during the first quarter 2008.

    For the first quarter 2008, drug-related sales (active ingredients

    and raw materials) were up 31.4% to ?11.5

    million, notably due to seasonal strong sales of Ginkgo biloba extract

    in Germany and other active ingredients in Switzerland (up ?0.4

    million, 12.8%).