AbbVie Issues Optimistic 2013 View on Strong Humira Sales

01/30/2013| 08:36am US/Eastern

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   By Melodie Warner 
 

AbbVie Inc. (>> AbbVie Inc) issued an optimistic 2013 forecast as it expects strong sales of the rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira to continue.

AbbVie is the research-based pharmaceutical business spun off from Abbott Laboratories (>> Abbott Laboratories) last month.

The company estimated 2013 adjusted earnings at $3.03 to $3.13 a share, while analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect $3.08 a share.

Abbott had previously said fourth-quarter sales of Humira jumped 23% to $2.68 billion.

AbbVie said it expects the drug's sales to increase by a low double-digit percentage in 2013.

The company also said it plans to initiate several Phase III programs this year, including atrasentan for diabetic kidney disease and ABT-199 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Shares closed Tuesday at $37.31 and were inactive premarket. The stock has climbed 9.2% so far this year.

Write to Melodie Warner at melodie.warner@dowjones.com

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