AstraZeneca Profits Jump on Swine Flu Vaccine

AstraZeneca's sales and profits have increased sharply thanks to setbacks for generic rivals and the launch of a swine flu vaccine in the US.

$152m of sales from the company’s nasal-spray swine flu vaccine. In the key US market, this helped to drive a 14pc growth in sales. “Business performance in the context of tough global economic conditions has been better than we anticipated .

“As expected, this trend has continued in the third quarter, including an uplift from initial sales of H1N1 influenza vaccine.”

Overall, the company is expecting $453m of sales from the swine flu vaccine, which has only been approved in the US.