Roche reports strong first-half financial results

Roche has published its financial results for the first half of 2012, during which it generated group sales of 22.4 billion Swiss francs (14.58 billion pounds).

This represented a three percent year-on-year increase during a period that saw the company successfully launch the breast cancer medicine Perjeta and the skin cancer drugs Zelboraf and Erivedge.

Moreover, the firm was also able to carry out a number of vital restructuring programmes, while continuing the development of the key breast cancer treatment T-DM1, which will be submitted for EU and US approval this year.

Roche confirmed its full-year outlook based on this data, with group and pharmaceuticals sales forecast to grow at low to mid-single-digit rates, while the diagnostics division is expected to outpace the overall market.

Chief executive officer Severin Schwan said: "Our recent decision to close the Nutley site and the related consolidation of our research and early development activities at other sites will free up resources that we can invest in our promising clinical programmes."

Last month, the company announced a new alliance with Seaside Therapeutics that will see them developing new treatments for fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorders.