NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Roche today said that Molecular Diagnostic sales rose 4 percent year over year at constant exchange rates, while Diagnostic Division revenues were up also 4 percent in the second quarter.
Molecular Diagnostics increased to to CHF411 million ($439.9 million) from CHF395 million as Diagnostic Division revenues increased to CHF2.71 billion from CHF2.61 billion
Overall, group sales increased 4 percent to CHF23.30 billion from CHF22.42 billion in the first half of 2012. The Pharmaceutical Division saw sales rose 4 percent to CHF18.16 billion from CHF17.41 billion while Diagnostic Division sales was up 2 percent to CHF5.13 billion from CHF5.01 billion.
The company said that while the underlying molecular business was up 4 percent in sales during the first half of the year, sales were offset by declines in the genome sequencing business. Growth in the rest of the molecular diagnostics business was driven by molecular testing for human papilloma virus, as well as genomics and oncology tests.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a new workflow process for Roche's Cobas HPV test. Also the agency approved Roche's PCR-based Cobas EGFR test as a companion diagnostic test for Tarceva (erlotinib) in May.
Roche said that it has filed for FDA approval of its HPV test for primary cervical cancer screening.
In April Roche said that it was dissolving its Applied Science Business Area and integrating products from that business into other parts of its Diagnostics Business area and laying off about 170 positions in Germany and in Connecticut. As part of the realignment, the company said at the time that would also retrun a development project for a semiconductor-sequencing based system to DNA Electronics and ending a partnership with IBM to develop a nanopore-based sequencing platform.
Additionally, Roche's PCR technology and nucleic acid product lines would be managed by the Roche Molecular Diagnostics.
Today, the company reiterated that the changes would "allow further streamlining of decision-making, promotion of synergies and leverage of the commercial expertise in Roche’s in vitro diagnostics business areas to better address customers’ needs."