Pharmaceutical Business review

Schering-Plough Q4 profit up

For the 2006 fourth quarter, the company reported net income available to common shareholders of $182 million or 12 cents per share. This had increased from the 2005 fourth quarter results, when it reported a net income of $104 million or 7 cents per share.

Net sales for the 2006 fourth quarter totaled $2.7 billion, up 14% versus the 2005 fourth quarter.

Schering-Plough's leading prescription products like Remicade were up 32%, Nasonex up 28%, Peg-Intron up 11%, Temodar up 20%, and Clarinex/Aerius was up 12%.

Schering-Plough attributed the good results to the driving growth of its cholesterol franchise and achieving double-digit sales increases for the company's five top brands.

“We are now performing well across our businesses, including our dynamic cholesterol franchise,” said Fred Hassan, chairman and CEO.