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(Reuters) - Amgen Inc (AMGN.O) on Thursday reported a better-than-expected second quarter profit and raised its full-year earnings forecast, and its chief executive pledged not to raise drug prices again this year.

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FILE PHOTO: An Amgen sign is seen at the company's office in South San Francisco, California, U.S., October 21, 2013. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/File Photo

Amgen joined several drugmakers that have vowed to limit or delay price increases under intensifying pressure from the Trump administration to cut health care costs for U.S. consumers.

The world’s largest biotechnology company also announced replacements for its head of research and development and retiring global commercial operations chief.

The company said on a conference call that it decided in May to forego list price increases it had planned for July, although it did not say which drugs it had targeted for price hikes.

“We have no plans to change that for the balance of the year,” CEO Robert Bradway said.

Amgen posted adjusted earnings of $3.83 per share, topping analysts’ average expectations by 29 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Growth of newer drugs like cholesterol fighter Repatha and osteoporosis drug Prolia offset weakness in older products, the company said.

The company increased its 2018 earnings forecast to $13.30 to $14 per share, up from its previous view of $12.80 to $13.70.

Amgen shares rose 1 percent in extended trading to $196.

Overall revenue for the quarter revenue rose 4 percent to $6.06 billion.

Sales of rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel fell 11 percent to $1.3 billion.

Sales of the potent but expensive cholesterol drug Repatha have begun to take off, increasing 78 percent to $148 million. They have been held back since the drug’s 2015 approval by an unwillingness of insurers

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