Roche third-quarter sales beat forecast with growth across divisions, currency boost

By Reuters News

ZURICH/ LONDON, Oct 22 - Roche ROPC.S slightly beat third-quarter sales expectations on Thursday, lifted by steady demand across its pharmaceuticals and diagnostics units and relief from months of currency headwinds.

Group sales reached 16.13 billion Swiss francs ($19.61 billion), up 7% at constant exchange rates and topping an average analyst estimate of 15.75 billion francs, according to a company compiled consensus.

The Basel-based drugmaker confirmed its full-year targets, with Chief Executive Thomas Schinecker adding that the company now aims to bring up to 20 new medicines to market by 2030.

Roche benefited from a stabilising dollar against the Swiss franc after a prolonged exchange-rate drag, a key dynamic given North America accounts for nearly half of group revenue.

Top-selling therapies led the pharmaceutical expansion: multiple sclerosis treatment Ocrevus rose 9% at constant currencies, while haemophilia medicine Hemlibra gained 13% from the year-ago period.

Asthma and food-allergy drug Xolair fell short of market forecasts, posting third-quarter sales of 848 million francs against expectations of 925 million francs.

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