Takeda Pharmaceuticals has announced a sharp drop in its first quarter profits, while Daiichi Sankyo and Eisai have reported improved results.
Takeda, Japan’s largest pharmaceutical company, has suffered at the hands of patent expiry and a lack of new products, posting a 43% drop in net profits to Y64.11bn on top of a 6.4% decrease in sales.
Daiichi Sankyo had chosen to focus on the generic business through its Indian subsidiary, Ranbaxy, who witnessed an increase in revenue due to its 180-day exclusive marketing agreement for its generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s herpes medication.
As a result, Daiichi Sankyo recorded net profits of Y33.07bn, in comparison to a Y6.4bn loss recorded a year earlier.
Eisai successfully staved off a decline in earnings through the launch of new prescription forms for Aricept and the MGI Pharma cancer drug the company acquired in 2008.
