Bayer HealthCare experiences strong start to 2015

Bayer HealthCare has experienced a double-digit sales increase in the first quarter of 2015, helping the Bayer group as a whole to deliver a better-than-expected financial performance.

The group's sales total for the quarter came to 12.12 billion euros (8.92 billion pounds), representing a year-on-year increase of 14.8 percent. Within the HealthCare subgroup, revenues rose by 25.6 percent to 5.74 billion euros.

This was attributable to dynamic sales growth in the pharmaceuticals division and strong gains in the consumer health segment, which has benefited from the recent acquisition of key consumer health assets from Merck Sharp and Dohme.

Recently launched products Xarelto, Eylea, Stivarga Xofig and Adempas also continued their recent growth, posting combined sales of 898 million euros.

The Bayer group is now anticipating a full-year sales total of between 48 billion euros and 49 billion euros, up from the previous forecast of 46 billion euros.

Bayer chief executive officer Dr Marijn Dekkers said: "Given the business development in the first quarter, and especially in view of the much more favorable exchange rates as of March 31st, we are raising our group guidance for 2015."