Roche Holding reported higher sales for the third quarter, fueled by growth across both its pharmaceuticals and diagnostics units as the drugmaker works to secure regulatory approval for new treatments targeting breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.
The Swiss healthcare group announced that third-quarter sales reached 16.13 billion Swiss francs, equivalent to approximately $19.57 billion. This compared with 14.92 billion francs recorded during the same period in the previous year. Analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha had projected quarterly sales to land at 15.78 billion francs.
Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations, Roche reported that overall sales grew by 7 percent, supported by gains in its two primary divisions. The core pharmaceutical business delivered an 8 percent top-line growth rate, bolstered by strong performance from top-selling products including the multiple sclerosis treatment Ocrevus, the hemophilia therapy Hemlibra, and the eye disease medication Vabysmo.
At the same time, the company's diagnostics division registered a 5 percent increase in quarterly sales. Strong market demand for core laboratory and pathology systems helped offset the negative financial impact stemming from ongoing healthcare-pricing reforms in China.
Looking ahead, Roche reaffirmed its official full-year guidance. The outlook anticipates increases in both overall sales and core earnings per share when measured on a constant-currency basis.
Additionally, the company stated that it is fully prepared to roll out its giredestrant breast-cancer pill later in the year, while also moving closer to securing approval for its fenebrutinib tablet intended for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.