Bayer HealthCare maintains growth in Q2 2014

Bayer HealthCare has recorded strong results for the second quarter of 2014, helping its parent company to maintain its recent growth.

The Bayer group has published its financial report for Q2 2014, during which it achieved a sales total of 10.46 billion euros (8.3 billion pounds). This represented a year-on-year improvement of 0.9 percent.

A similar growth rate was recorded by the HealthCare division, with improvement driven by the recently-launched products Xarelto, Eylea, Stivarga, Xofigo and Adempas.

Consumer health sales were slower, but will be accelerated in the coming months by the acquisition of Merck Sharp and Dohme's consumer care business. Bayer's life science division also performed strongly.

Bayer management board chairman Dr Marijn Dekkers said: "We are upholding the previous guidance for the group in light of our good operational performance."

In June 2014, Dr Dekkers extended his contract with the company for an additional two years. This means he will be leaving Bayer in 2016.