By Cecilia Butini

Sanofi SA on Thursday posted higher earnings and sales for the first quarter, driven by best-selling drug Dupixent and consumer healthcare, and said that it expects further growth in business earnings per share during 2022.

The French pharma major posted net profit of 2 billion euros ($2.11 billion) for the quarter, up from EUR1.57 billion the year prior. Sales were EUR9.67 billion, up from EUR8.59 billion the year prior.

Best-selling eczema drug Dupixent alone grew by 45.7% on year, the company said, driving sales in Sanofi's specialty care business.

Business net income--a key profit metric that excludes some items--clocked in at EUR2.42 billion, from EUR2.02 billion the year prior, Sanofi said. Business earnings per share were EUR1.94, up 20.5% from the prior-year level, the company said.

Looking ahead, Sanofi said it expects 2022 business EPS to grow low-double digit at constant exchange rates, with a positive currency impact of between 4% and 5%.


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


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-28-22 0156ET