Roche sees a slight dip in Q1 as biosimilars keep biting into blockbuster oncology trio's sales
With Roche facing a fast decline for its oncology blockbuster trio amid a biosimilar onslaught, the drug giant is looking anywhere it can for a pick-me-up. That boost could come from Covid-19 diagnostics, the drugmaker said in a first-quarter update — but will it be enough?
The testing division saw a marked 55% increase in sales, Roche executives said on an earnings call with analysts Wednesday, offsetting a slumping pharmaceuticals sector which pulled in 9% less than the same three-month period in 2020. Included in that increase is Roche’s rapid Covid-19 antigen test, as well as research for its real-time PCR test to help monitor coronavirus mutations.
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