By Cecilia Butini

Roche Holding AG said Wednesday that sales for the third quarter rose on year and raised its outlook for the full year.

The Swiss pharma major posted sales of 15.97 billion Swiss francs ($17.31 billion) for the third quarter, up from CHF14.70 billion in the same period in 2020.

In the first nine months of the year, sales were CHF46.68 billion from CHF43.98 billion the year prior, Roche said.

Sales in the company's pharmaceutical division grew 5% in the third quarter and are now in line with the previous year for the first nine months, Roche said.

The company's diagnostics division had sales growth of 18% in the third quarter and 39% in the first nine months due to high demand for Covid-19 tests, a recovery in the base business, and the newly launched diagnostics platforms, according to Roche.

The company raised its outlook for the year. It now expects sales to grow in the mid-single digit range at constant exchange rates. It had previously expected sales to grow in the low to mid single digit range.

Write to Cecilia Butini at cecilia.butini@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-20-21 0136ET