Bayer HealthCare sees growth in first quarter of 2011

Bayer HealthCare has experienced a strong start to 2011, with sales increasing by 7.7 percent year on year.

The health-oriented business unit of the Bayer group generated a sales total of 4.17 billion euros (3.67 billion pounds), with this performance attributed primarily to the success of its consumer health operations.

Pharmaceutical sales demonstrated a more modest level of growth, with the treatments Kogenate and Aspirin Cardio seeing rising demand, while regions such as China and Japan performed well.

This helped the Bayer group as a whole to achieve a sales total of 9.42 billion euros, up by 13.2 percent on the corresponding period of 2010.

Bayer chief executive officer Dr Marijn Dekkers stated that the organisation will be raising its annual sales and earnings forecast for 2011 based on these results.

Last week, the company announced positive new clinical trial data for VEGF Trap-Eye, with the drug showing its potential efficacy among patients affected by macular edema due to central retinal vein occlusion.