Spain’s Zeltia has posted a major rise in revenues and a significant loss reduction for 2010, driven by sales of its anti-cancer treatment Yondelis.
Turnover reached 153.5 million euros, a rise of 24.4%, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation came in at a loss of 3.9 million euros. That represents an improvement of 74% on the year before.
The figures reflect a rise in revenues from Yondelis (trabectedin) which is approved for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer in the European Union. Sales of the drug reached 72.1 million euros, up 70%, and Zeltia’s biopharmaceutical business, accounting for 52% of group sales and exceeding the contribution from its consumer chemicals division for the first time.
Meantime, fellow Spanish firm Almirall has granted Japanese rights to its investigational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drug aclidinium bromide to Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co.
Under the terms of the agreement, Kyorin will pay tan undisclosed upfront fee and potential development and sales milestones up to 38 million euros, plus royalties. It will assume responsibility for development, regulatory approval and commercialsation of aclidinium bromide in Japan.
Almirall and partner Forest Laboratories hope to file the drug in Europe and the USA this year.
