Novozymes reports 4% increase in sales in Q1
Biopharma sales rise by 22%
Danish biotechnology company Novozymes, which is focused on enzyme production, reported a 4% rise in sales to DKK2.8bn (US$496m; €381m) in the first quarter of 2013. Pre-tax profit was flat at DKK661m.
Enzyme Business sales were DKK2.5bn, up by 2% compared with the first quarter of 2012.
Biopharma sales increased by 22% owing to good underlying development in the albumin business and interest in the albufuse technologies. Sales of hyaluronic acid remained at a low level in Q1 pending customer product testing, the firm said.
Sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa increased by 7%, and by the same percentage in the Asia Pacific region. Latin America also saw positive growth of 8%.
By contrast, sales dipped by 1% in the US.
‘Overall, the first quarter was as expected. We're off to a satisfactory start in 2013, and we maintain the full-year outlook,’ said Peder Holk Nielsen, President and CEO.
‘Organic sales growth came in at the lower end of our full-year guidance, and we remain confident that it will pick up during the course of the year.’