Biotest AG:“Focused research, global growth”: Biotest increases its market share worldwide and announces ambitious targets for 2006
Biotest AG / Final Results
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PRESS RELEASE
“Focused research, global growth”: Biotest increases its market share
worldwide and announces ambitious targets for 2006
Intratect sales to treble by 2007 – high level of demand for
immunoglobulins results in planned capacity expansion to 4,000 kg – aim is
to achieve orphan drug status for Cytotect® in the European Union
Dreieich, Frankfurt/Main, 21 March 2006. Biotest AG, Dreieich, has
significantly expanded its global market share of plasma products in
financial year 2005 and is aiming for a further marked improvement in 2006.
At its Annual Press Conference in Frankfurt/Main, the pharmaceutical,
biotherapeutic and diagnostics company announced that 21.5% of sales of
polyspecific immunoglobulins in the German hospital sector was already
attributable to the Biotest product, Intratect®, by the end of 2005 and in
the pharmacy segment the figure amounted to 18.5%. This means that the
company’s market share has virtually doubled within a year. Having
successfully completed the European mutual recognition procedure, Biotest
aims to increase Intratect® sales by a further 50% in 2006 and to then
double the figure once more in 2007 to sales of around 1,500kg. Of this,
two thirds will be accounted for by European countries excluding Germany.
In Hungary, Ireland and the UK, Intratect® has been launched in the market.
The product is to be launched gradually in another six European companies
by the end of 2006. “We are focusing on the UK market, which is currently
dominated by a small number of providers,” emphasised Prof. Dr. Gregor
Schulz, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors at Biotest AG. “We
believe that there is a good chance of us gaining a market share of more
than 4% in the first year of the launch.”
In the segment of plasma-based coagulation concentrates (factor VIII),
Biotest has achieved a 43% increase in sales with Haemoctin®. This
represents a global market share of around 7% (previous year: 4%). Strong
growth in the Russian market has been a decisive factor. In this country,
state funding was made available for the treatment of adult haemophilia
patients for the first time in 2005.
Biotest expects to see considerable further growth in sales of
immunoglobulins and coagulation factors and is investing in its
pharmaceutical facility to create the basis for handling the associated
increase in production. Following the high demand for immunoglobulins,
implementation of the plan to double capacity in terms of chromatographic
purification to 4,000kg per annum has already begun in 2006. When another
freeze-drying facility is opened at the start of 2007, Biotest will be in a
position to produce 400 million units of coagulation concentrates a year,
which is the prerequisite to doubling its global market share in the coming
years. Schulz commented: “Following approval of new products, the
technological edge of the new pharmaceutical production will have a
stronger impact on our results.”
Biotest is also well positioned for future growth in the
hyperimmunglobuline segment. Here the key R&D project is the approval of
Cytotect® to treat cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy. In Europe
alone, more than 20,000 cases of such infection are recorded every year. A
study published in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine in 2005
proved the drastic risk reduction for unborn babies. In May 2006, a
gynaecology conference in Germany will focus on this issue. Prof. Schulz
added: “We believe that it is likely that Cytotect® will be given orphan
drug status in the European Union.” This status ensures long-term protected
distribution and tax advantages. The market potential should be in excess
of 30 million euro if approval is granted throughout Europe.
In diagnostics, following the successful launch of the TANGO® optimo system
for automated blood group diagnosis in the USA, the focus is on the
approval of manual reagents in North America. In Canada, this is already
expected in the second quarter of 2006 and in the USA in 2007. Overall,
Biotest anticipates a rise in sales of 8% to 10% for the current financial
year and expects a further increase in results, despite having almost
doubled expenditure on the continued development of biotherapeutic products
(2005: 3.7 million euro). Clinical research will initially focus on BT-061
monoclonal antibodies. Scheduled milestones in 2006 include the completion
of pharmacokinetic, mechanistic and toxicological studies and the
commencement of clinical studies on rheumatoid arthritis (phases I and II)
and psoriasis (phase I).
About Biotest
Biotest AG, Dreieich, Germany, is a company that researches and
manufactures pharmaceutical, biotherapeutic and diagnostic products and has
specialised in immunology and haematology. In its Pharmaceutical segment,
Biotest develops immunoglobulines, clotting factors and albumins based on
human blood plasma. These are used for diseases of the immune system or
haematopoietic system. In addition, Biotest also researches into the
clinical development of monoclonal antibodies, including in the indications
of rheumatoid arthritis and blood cancer. The Diagnostic segment spans
reagents and serology and microbiology systems which are used, for example,
in blood transfusions. Biotest has around 1,100 employees worldwide and its
shares are listed in the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's Prime Standard.
Biotest AG: Dr. Michael Ramroth, Tel. +49 6103 801-338
Fax: +49 6103 801-347, e-mail: michael.ramroth@biotest.de
Biotest AG, Landsteinerstr. 5, D-63303 Dreieich, www.biotest.de
German Securities Code Number, ISIN ordinary shares: 522720, DE0005227201
German Securities Code Number, ISIN preferred shares: 522723, DE0005227235
Listed: Prime Standard/Official market
Frankfurt, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart
DGAP 22.03.2006
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language: English
company: Biotest AG
Landsteinerstr. 5
63303 Dreieich Deutschland
phone: +49 - 6103 / 801 - 0
fax: +49 - 6103 / 801 - 150
email: mail@biotest.de
WWW: www.biotest.de
ISIN: DE0005227201, DE0005227235
WKN: 522720, 522723
indices:
stockmarkets: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in
Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
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