Global pharmaceutical concerns performed well in the Czech Republic in 2008

2009-09-07

2008 was a good year for global pharmaceutical companies active in the Czech Republic, thus it appears that the crisis did not have a bearing impact on their performance in the country.
The German pharmaceutical and chemical producer Merck reported a 70% increase in sales in the Czech Republic last year. Revenues amounted to CZK 1.23bn (€48.13m), owing mainly to sales of pharmaceutical products, which doubled year on year to CZK 999m (€39.1m). Despite these strong figures, net profit fell from CZK 23m (€886,000m) in 2007 to CZK 2m (€77,000) last year.
The Czech unit of Roche reported a 9% increase in sales turnover in 2008, to CZK 4.4bn (€172m), according to audited figures. Net profit surged almost eight-fold to CZK 133.1m (€5.2m).
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)’s Czech operation moved into profit in 2008 on the back of a 15% jump in sales revenues, its annual report shows. The company, which made a net loss of CZK 5.5m (€0.2m) in 2007, last year earned a profit of CZK 47m (€1.8m) on sales of nearly CZK 5.2bn (€202m). Sales at its pharmaceuticals division rose 4.6% in 2008, led by vaccines, which surged by 26% and accounted for a third of total sales. OTC medicines and cosmetics sales were up by 12%, led by Coldrex, Corega, Sensodyne and Paradontax. In the future GSK wants to strengthen its analgesics and cough & cold segments, which are already central to its Consumer Health Care division. The company is also the market leader in the Czech dental hygiene market.