Roche reports profit surge, drug delay

With demand for Tamiflu soaring, Roche reported pre-tax profits surged 36 percent in 2005, hitting $7 billion. That was well ahead of market expectations. The bulk of Roche's growth was concentrated in its pharmaceutical division. Perhaps the biggest news from Roche today, though, was that it would delay filing for approval for its anti-anemia drug CERA until 2009. Some analysts had been expecting it to head for the FDA as early as 2007. That news helped buoy Amgen, which markets a rival anti-anemia therapy.

- read this Financial Times report for more on its profits
- see this report on CERA