Its best sellers were drugs used to treat high blood pressure (Atacand), schizophrenia (Seroquel XR) and to regulate cholesterol levels (Crestor).
An analysis of local drug sales in 2008-2012, based on the data in the company’s reports, shows them to have doubled from $71 million in 2008 to $161 million in 2012.
AstraZeneca’s sales in Romania increased at a faster rate than the entire market, which grew by 35%.
“The growth was organic. AstraZeneca’s [group] strategy was to focus on rising markets. Our brands were not developed in Romania so we caught up,” said Radu Rasinar, president of AstraZeneca for South-Eastern Europe. He added that the company was not as important a player in Romania as it was worldwide but had caught up in the last few years.
AstraZeneca is one of the world’s largest drugmakers with almost $28 billion in sales last year. The giant is already suffering from patent expiry for some of its best-selling drugs, which took its toll on the bottom line in the first quarter according to Financial Times. Generic producers have already launched cheaper version of Seroquel and Atacand, but the sales of the two are still going up in Romania.
Atacand, a drug used to treat high blood pressure is AstraZeneca’s bestseller worldwide and saw 34% rise in sales in Romania last year, according to the company’s annual report. Schizophrenia drug Seroquel XR posted 41% growth, while Crestor (cholesterol drug) and Symbicort (asthma) sales went up 10% and 4%.
The Romanian and Russian results were the growth driver in Emerging Europe for the drugmaker.
AstraZeneca ranked 10th among drugmakers in Romania in 2008 and climbed to 7th in 2012, according to market research company Cegedim data. In 2006 it ranked 20th.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)