Revenue was up 10% in Q3 at Lundbeck to DKK 4.9 billion but profit from operations fell nearly a quarter (22%) after restructuring its R&D department.

Growth was driven by an increase in revenue from a number of its key products and milestone payments following the launch of escitalopram in Japan.

Ulf Wiinberg, Lundbeck’s President and CEO, says the company is “very pleased with yet another strong quarter” after its branded products delivered “solid results”.

Sales of Sabril increased by nearly half (47%) to DKK 77 million, compared to the third quarter in 2010, with revenue also up for Xenazine in the US by a fifth, compared with the same period, to DKK 191 million.

Lundbeck’s key products, Cipralex, Ebixa and Azilect, which grew 5%, 18% and 20% respectively, compared to the period last year, helped boost revenue from International Markets up 20% to DKK 901 million.

“We are now entering a new era with many new product launches,” said Ulf Wiinberg. “With the launch of Lexapro in Japan, the continued roll out of Sycrest and the forthcoming launch of OnfiTM in the US, we have expanded on our product diversification and strengthened our long term growth prospects substantially.”

The meetings and events sector is today recognised as a core revenue stream for academic venues. Sam Booth explains how schools, colleges and universities can give your meeting a degree of excellence.

The majority of academic venues offering conference facilities now function under a dedicated brand with a specialist conference team and, despite operating in a difficult economic environment, the majority have continued to invest in the upkeep and improvement of their facilities. It is because of this that the academic venue provides some of the highest quality conference and events facilities available for event organisers today.

With such large scale purpose built facilities it is not surprising that the academic venue has become the preference for many organisations’ annual conferences and conventions. Combined with state-of-the art audio and visual support, a mix of old and new facilities, and a vast amount of high quality on-site accommodation, they provide a one-stop shop approach to modern conferencing.

Extracurricular facilities

With the addition of some of the more unique sections of the university being opened up for use, they have also become a popular choice for product launches, awards dinners and even large exhibitions. Sports facilities are also another great asset, playing host to tournaments or team building for many different groups.

It is because of the fact that all of these facilities are already in place that the academic venue can offer a competitive price for delegates, unlike many purpose built conference centres or hotels.

However, it is not just the top class facilities or cost effective offering that is attracting event organisers. The sheer amount of supporting research and access to academic speakers at a university is also playing a major influencing factor on choice. Coupled with the fact that the facilities have been built with learning in mind, this element can enhance and enrich an event and in turn help to add credibility and increase delegate engagement too.

School fees

In return, students and academics will benefit from this too with all profits generated being reinvested directly back into the university, giving research programmes and other learning facilities a welcome boost in resources.

The academic venue is a vibrant, unique and highly cultured choice for any event and can help make a significant contribution in paving the way for the country’s next generation of leaders. I would urge anyone to give them a try.

Sam Booth is the Head of Keele Conferences and Events.

Merck saw revenues increase by 3.8% to €2.5 billion and net profit rise 7.5% to €227 million in the third quarter after solid performances by its pharmaceuticals and Millipore divisions.

Revenues at Merck Serono increased 5.4% to €1.4bn after increased global sales of Rebif and Erbitux (pictured) whilst its Millipore division saw revenue reach €588 million compared to €559 million the same period a year ago.

Karl-Ludwig Kley, Chairman of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, says the results leave the Group “well positioned as we head into the end of the year”.

Its Executive Board now forecasts annual Group revenues between €10-10.2 billion and the debt resulting from the 2010 acquisition of Millipore to decrease at an “excellent pace”.

Administration expenses were down 2.7% to €124 million with other operating expenses and income also declining slightly by 1.3%. R&D costs increased to €371 million in Q3 due to a combination of late-stage clinical trials and the strong Swiss franc.

Earnings before interest and tax were also down 8.4% with underlying core operating result – which excludes Merck Serono and Millipore – decreasing by 21.5% of revenues as a result of the weakening of the Performance Materials division, the Group claimed.

Generic organic revenue growth in Merck Serono increased nearly 9% after its multiple sclerosis treatment Rebif recorded global sales of €426 million and the cancer treatment Erbitux earned € 218 million, primarily as a result of growth in emerging markets.

“The Merck Group produced solid third-quarter revenue growth in a difficult environment, driven mainly by good performances from the Merck Serono and Merck Millipore divisions,” said Karl-Ludwig Kley. “We are making progress in driving our change agenda forward and we will provide important updates on this endeavour in the first half of 2012.”

Profits at Eli Lilly fell 5% in the third quarter of 2011 to $1.24 billion despite revenue increasing nearly 10% to $6.15bn.

Strong sales performances by Cymbalta, Humalog, Forteo, Strattera, Cialis (pictured) and Alimta boosted revenue, although sales of Zyprexa and Gemzar were down after they faced generic competition for the first time.

John Lechleiter, CEO, Lilly, says that the company is “well-prepared” to meet the “challenges before us” as it prepares to face the loss of patent exclusivity on the two brands.

Zyprexa’s sales generated $1.18bn during the quarter, a decrease of 3% compared to the same time last year, after revenue dropped in the US by $563.2 million. It will lose its exclusivity in the US this month after the patent expired in Europe in September.

But with the introduction of cheaper generic copies, Lilly says it now expects a "rapid and severe decline in Zyprexa sales".

Sales in other divisions of the company boosted overall profits, especially in animal health where sales were up 28% compared with Q3 of 2010.

As a result in the drop in profits, Lilly did not raise its full-year profit forecast but Damien Conover, a financial analyst at Morningstar, said the “sales look reasonably good”.

Revenue generated from the outsourcing of contract manufacturing by the pharmaceutical industry will more than double between now and 2021, a new report forecasts.

Visiongain’s Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing: World Market Outlook 2011-2021 predicts the sector will reach $64.07 billion in 2016 after a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%.

Richard Lang, pharmaceutical industry analyst at Visiongain, says the sector will benefit from “a continued move to strategic outsourcing” by pharma.

The industry will increase the amount of manufacturing it outsources in the next decade to cover the costs of R&D and marketing, the report predicts.

The US accounted for 42% of total demand for contract manufacturing services in 2010, the report found, with demand expected to grow from developed market-based pharmaceutical companies over the next ten years. Growth in the biotechnology sector also presents a “significant new opportunities” for contract research organisations, the report says.

Currently, the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) remained the biggest sector for the contract manufacturing industry with the report finding it accounted for almost three-quarters (71%) of the global market.

The report forecasts that API manufacturers in emerging markets will achieve increasing demand for their services, and that demand for generic and potent APIs will be one of the main drivers for growth during the next ten years.

“Industry will look more to long-term relationships with a few selected contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) as the decade goes on,” Mr Lang said. “Becoming a full-service CMO or specialising in a niche area will best allow contract manufacturers to take advantage of these strategic partnerships.”

The report adds there are future opportunities for CMOs to expand through buying manufacturing facilities from pharma or acquiring smaller rival companies. Those which offer specialised manufacturing service will also benefit, it adds.

Boehringer Ingelheim has posted net sales of €6.4 billion in the first six months of 2011 resulting in a 4% growth when compared to the same period the year before.

Sales were boosted by the new launches of the anticoagulant Pradaxa and diabetes treatments Twynsta and Tradjenta which accounted for 60% of revenue.

Professor Andreas Barner, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors, says Boehringer’s Value through Innovation vision “proves itself sustainably as the basis of our company.”

Overall, prescription medicines net sales amassed €4.9 billion in the first half of 2011 and turnover of the Consumer Healthcare Business was up 11% to €667 million.

Following strong sales in emerging markets, the company’s Human Pharmaceuticals’ net sales increased by 12% to €890 million.

“For Boehringer Ingelheim the first half of business year 2011 is characterised in turnover terms by successful new launches,” said Hubertus von Baumbach, Member of the Board of Managing Directors responsible for Finance.

“A good earnings position overall has enabled us to activate again higher investment in research and development, even though further burdensome interventions by the legislators in price-setting for prescription medicines have had a negative effect.”

Pradaxa, a novel, direct thrombin inhibitor was approved across Europe for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Outside of the EU, it has already been granted approval in the USA, Canada, Japan and other countries on four continents.

Professor Barner also added that several new substances from the company’s own research and development had made further progress and a number of new biological and chemical active ingredients were transferred from the preclinical stage to clinical development.

Pfizer’s CEO Ian Read has ruled out any major mergers or acquisitions to replace the company’s falling revenue.

Annual sales are down some 60% after the loss of patent exclusivity on several key products.

But the CEO, who has been downsizing Pfizer since starting his role in December last year, told Bloomberg he is “not going to chase revenue at the destruction of capital” by selling units and buying back shares, since coming to the post in December 2010.

This shrinking style contrasts to the work of his predecessors Jeffrey Kindler, who bought Wyeth for $64bn in 2009, and Henry McKinnell, who bought Pharmacia for a similar price in 2002.

Mr Read stated that Pfizer will still look for licensing deals through partnerships with companies with treatments in mid- to late-stage testing.

Pfizer shares have climbed by approximately 14% since Mr Read took over.

Pfizer, based in New York, currently faces competition from cheaper generic medicines, led by cholesterol pill Lipitor.

Boston Scientific Corporation has invested $150m in developing its medical device market in China.

The five-year investment is to support the growth of local manufacturing and training centre facilities focused on serving Chinese market needs.

Training will involve the latest medical devices, device therapy and a virtual learning simulation environment for healthcare providers.

Larry Neumann, Senior Vice President and President of Emerging Markets at Boston Scientific, commented: “We think the time is right to make additional investments to help fuel our growth, help us win global share, gain access to diverse talent and bring our less-invasive therapies to more patients in China.”

The Corporation’s Board of Directors approved the five-year contract and expects to invest in R&D and clinical studies whilst increasing its employee base in China from 200 to more than 1,200 during the period.

As a result of the investment, Boston Scientific predicts increased revenues to more than $500m by 2016.

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a range of medical specialties.