Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) announced today that global in-market sales of Copaxone reached $261 million in the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2004, an increase of 26% over the comparable quarter of 2003. For the full year 2004, global in-market sales of Copaxone reached an all-time high of $936 million, an increase of 30% over 2003.
US sales in the fourth quarter 2004 increased 23% over the fourth quarter 2003 to $175 million. For the full year 2004, U.S. sales increased 26% to $625 million compared to last year.
Teva noted that according to IMS data, Copaxone was the market leader in the U.S. in terms of new prescriptions for the second half of 2004 and reached an all-time high market share (total prescriptions) of 32.6% in December.
For the fourth quarter 2004, sales outside the US, mainly in Europe, increased by 31% over the comparable quarter of 2003, to $86 million. For the entire year, sales outside the US increased by 38% to $311 million.
"We are especially pleased with our growth in the US, where we are quickly becoming the leading multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment," said Teva president and CEO Israel Makov.
Teva's announcement was made in conjunction with the release of the Sanofi-Aventis group's financial results. Following the recent Sanofi-Aventis merger, the merged group modified the Aventis products sales reporting, creating the difference in sales figures reported by Teva and Sanofi-Aventis. Teva's sales figures included additional $13 million in direct non-US sales by Teva.
Teva plans to release its full year 2004 financial results on Tuesday, February 15, 2005.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on Wednesday, January 26, 2005