Abbott will prosper if rheumatoid arthritis drug sales surge, analysis concludes

NEW YORK Abbott Labs stands to profit handsomely if one of its rheumatoid arthritis drugs does as well as the company’s management says it will, according to analysis by Forbes magazine.

The magazine reported Abbott management as saying that sales of Humira (adalimumab) will reach $9 billion by 2012, compared to around $4.5 billion last year, though Credit Suisse analysts were skeptical.

According to the magazine, Credit Suisse has said 20% of the drug maker’s growth over the next five years will come from Humira, and should Abbott fail to generate another blockbuster drug, that figure could increase to 67%.