Berna Biotech sales jump on terrorism fears

Berna Biotech CEO Kuno Sommer can look back on a successful 2001 Keystone Archive

The Swiss vaccines group, Berna Biotech, sharply increased its sales and profits last year, benefiting from demand for its smallpox vaccine after fears of terrorist attacks.

The Bern-based company said on Tuesday it expected strong growth in its core vaccine business this year as well. Group sales rose 52 per cent in 2001 to SFr303.8 million ($179.34 million), driven mainly by the exceptional sales of smallpox vaccine to several European governments.

It said it expected smallpox vaccine sales of another SFr20 million this year.

Smallpox vaccine

The company, formerly the Swiss Serum and Vaccine Institute, said the unexpected income from sales of smallpox vaccine would enable it to accelerate the streamlining of its market structures and the withdrawal from plasma production.

A company statement said profit for 2001 had “sharply increased” but gave no figures. It reports full results on May 7.

Berna Biotech also announced that it had won “orphan drug” marketing exclusivity in the European Union for its Aerugen vaccine that fights fatal infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.

“Orphan drugs” are pharmaceuticals specially developed to combat rare diseases.

The company said it expected to start marketing the product in 2005 and have annual sales from the drug of some SFr30 to SFr50 million. Aerugen is the first vaccine to be approved as an “orphan drug” in Europe.

It added that the final clinical phase had started successfully, involving 470 patients in 48 centres located in four European countries.


swissinfo with agencies