AbstralTM continues strong growth of over 40% in first-quarter 2010

Orexo AB (STO:ORX) today confirms that its partner, ProStrakan Group plc (LSE:PSK) has announced that AbstralTM continues to show strong sales development in 2010.

AbstralTM was launched across Europe during the course of 2009 and ProStrakan reported sales of £5.8 million in its first year on the market. In the first four months of 2010 AbstralTM has already recorded sales of £5.0 million. The successful establishment in each of the countries in which it has been launched is demonstrated by the following market shares (estimates based on the number of doses recorded in March 2010): France 27%; Germany 20%; Spain 10%; Sweden 69%; and UK 21%. There is also evidence of a significant increase in the size of the market for fentanyl-based products for breakthrough cancer pain across the major EU-countries in which ProStrakan operates (France, Germany, Spain and the UK). This market has grown by 45% (Q1 2010 v Q1 2009) and of that growth, AbstralTM commanded a 61% share. Although invoiced sales to distributors (affected by changes in stock) showed a slight decline in the first quarter 2010 compared to the previous quarter, in-market sales (sales to end-customer) of AbstralTM continued to show a strong underlying growth of above 40% in Q1 2010 compared to Q4 2009 (source: IMS, March 2010).

Commenting on today's announcement, Torbjörn Bjerke, Orexo's President and CEO, said: "AbstralTM is currently helping thousands of patients in Europe and it is encouraging that the product is leading the market growth within the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain. In our home market Sweden we currently have a market share of around 69% and have enjoyed an increase of approx. 40% in tablet sales in Q1 2010 compared to Q4 2009."