Kos' 3rd-qtr 2006 income rises 17%

New Jersey, USA-based Kos Pharmaceuticals says that its third-quarter 2006 revenue increased 17% on the like, year-ago period, to a record $240.9 million, as net income including a one-time event, reached $35.3 million, or $0.71 per share versus net income and earnings per share of $29.7 million and $0.60, respectively.

Kos, which earlier this month signed a merger agreement with US health care major Abbott Laboratories for $3.7 billion (Marketletter November 8), says that revenue from its cholesterol franchise increased 22%, during the period, to $179.8 million, sales of Niaspan (niacin extended-release tablets) jumped 28% to $146.4 million, while income from Advicor, a combination of Niaspan and lovastatin, totaled $33.4 million. Sales from its cholesterol franchise rose 3.2% in total prescriptions and 4.3% in unit volume on the first nine months of 2005. Third-quarter revenues for Kos' hypertension drugs totaled $35.7 million, while Azmacort (triamcinolone acetonide) earned $25.4 million, up 31%.