BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian drugmaker UCB forecast sales and profit would fall this year after the cost of launching new medicines and higher drug trial expenses pushed down 2011 earnings.
It forecast 2012 recurring core profit would come in between 630-660 million euros ($840-$880 million), compared with 683 million euros last year.
Last year's figure was below an average of 696 million euros expected by 12 banks and brokerages polled by Reuters.
(Reporting By Ben Deighton)
