Abbott Sees Strong Quarter Spurred by Humira Sales

Abbott has reported worldwide sales of $7.3 billion for the second quarter, driven in part by sales of its arthritis drug Humira.

The 14.8 percent increase in sales over the second quarter of 2007 was fueled by Humira (adalimumab), which brought in more than $1 billion in the second quarter — a 48.1 percent increase over last year. Abbott projects that Humira could bring in $4.3 billion this year.

In February, Humira was approved as a treatment to reduce signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients age 4 and older.

The company also saw strong sales of its combination anti-retroviral Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), which earned $355 million globally — a 12.7 percent increase over the same quarter last year. In April, the drugmaker received EU approval for the drug’s pediatric formulation. 

Sales of the epilepsy treatment Depakote (divalproex sodium) also were strong in the second quarter, earning $414 million worldwide. Abbott recently resolved several patent infringement suits over the drug’s extended-release version — one last month with Mylan Pharmaceuticals and two in May with Sandoz and Zydus Pharmaceuticals.