Specialty care and Somatuline drive Ipsen's positive third quarter financials

French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) has reported sales of 329 million euros ($419.1 million) for the third quarter of 2014, a year-on-year increase of 10.4%.

Drug sales hit 324.6 million euros in the quarter, up 12.5% on the same quarter last year, and were particularly boosted by a 16.5% growth in specialty care. Urology-oncology sales grew by 10.3%, endocrinology grew 11.6% and neurology increased 9%.

Marc de Garidel, chairman and chief executive, said: "Sales were strong in the third quarter, driven by the acceleration of Somatuline (lanreotide) growth, the sustained rebound of Decapeptyl (triptorelin), and the exceptional orders of Dysport (abobotulinumtoxin A) by Galderma. This led us to revise our annual guidance for specialty care sales and profitability upward.”