Roche sees diagnostic sales soar after acquisition:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Roche's diagnostic division had sales of SwFr4.6 billion ($3.3 billion) in 1998, reflecting the Swiss company's acquisition of Boehringer Mannheim in mid-1997. In the previous year, Roche's diagnostic sales were SwFr966 million. Roche says its PCR-based products and patient care division both had double-digit sales growth, its molecular biochemicals division had substantial growth, while its laboratory systems sales were "down sightly in a saturated market". Roche's total sales were SwFr24,660 million, up 31%. The figures do not include turnover for the orthopaedics company DePuy, in which Roche had a majority holding and which was sold to Johnson & Johnson in July 1998.