Record 1996 Revenues For Genzyme General Division

Genzyme General Division of the USA achieved record revenues in 1996,the company has announced, rising 35% to $512 million. Product and service sales were $487 million, up 38%. The firm said that all business units made solid contributions to revenues.

Turnover of Genzyme's treatments for Gaucher disease, Ceredase (alglucerase; Marketletters passim) and Cerezyme (imiglucerase), were key drivers in 1996 with sales for both products of $265 million, a rise of 23% on the previous year. Also contributing to the increase were sales from Deknatel Snowden Pencer, a surgical products company acquired by Genzyme in the third quarter.

R&D revenues in 1996 amounted to $25 million, down from $27 million in 1995. The decrease was attributed by the company to the acquisition of Neozyme II in the 1996 fourth quarter.