Neurolite takes bite out of Ceretec sales

Sales of Amersham International's Ceretec brain imaging agentdropped 11% last year due to competition from Du Pont's Neuroliteproduct, which received Food and Drug Administration approvallast year (SCAN 12/14/94). Ceretec recorded sales of 23.6 millionin the company's 1995 fiscal year (end-March), or about $38 millionat current exchange rates, according to Amersham's 1995 annualreport.

Amersham, of Buckinghamshire, England, has responded to Neurolite'schallenge by differentiating its product from the Du Pont agent.Amersham is now offering a new stabilized version of Ceretec inNorth America and is also marketing the agent for white bloodcell labeling applications.

On the positive side, sales shot up 43% for Amersham's Metastronagent for palliation of bone cancer pain. Metastron had globalsales of £20.6 million, or $33 million, in the 1995 fiscalyear. Sales have grown much more quickly in Europe than in NorthAmerica, however.

Amersham's Myoview technetium-based heart imaging agent waslaunched in Japan and most European markets in the 1995 fiscalyear and sales for the period totaled £5 million, or $8 million.Amersham is still awaiting FDA approval of the product in theU.S.