Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has reported a 5% rise in sales for the first quarter of 2013, boosted by strong demand for its flu treatment, Tamiflu.
Total sales hit 11.6 billionn Swiss francs ($12.4 billion) in the first three months of 2013.
Tamiflu sales rose during a heavy flu season in the US, and there was also strong demand for Roche’s cancer drugs.
“We got off to a very good start in 2013 due to strong organic growth,” said Roche chief executive Severin Schwan.
During the first quarter of 2013, the Basel-based company launched two new drugs to fight breast cancer, Kadcyla in the US and Perjeta in Europe.
Roche expects its full-year total sales to grow at much the same rate as 2012, when they rose by 7%. Roche also said it expected to increase its share dividend this year.
“Based on the first quarter results, I am confident we will meet our full-year targets,” Severin Schwan said.
