UCB first half growth driven by new products

UCB has reported solid financial results for the first half of 2010 following the successful launch of a number of new drugs.

The biopharmaceutical company’s revenue total for the six month period was 1.6 billion euros (1.3 billion pounds), up three per cent on the first half of last year.

This was attributed the success of new treatments such as Cimzia, Vimpat and Neupro following their gradual introduction in more territories, with Cimzia sales increasing by 240 per cent year-on-year.

UCB also noted that more than 146,000 patients have benefited from new UCB medicines so far in 2010, around 40 per cent more than at the end of last year.

Roch Doliveux, chief executive officer of UCB, said: “We are on track to become the patient-centric global biopharma leader transforming the lives of people living with serious diseases of the central nervous system and immunology.”

Last month, UCB announced that it is to appoint new ICT staff in order to improve the efficiency of its research and development operations.