Roche lifts 2021 outlook as Delta variant spurs COVID-19 test demand

Swiss drugmaker Roche raised its 2021 sales forecast after posting an 8% rise in nine-month revenues, powered by demand for COVID-19 tests and strength in the overall business due to newly launched diagnostics platforms and medicines.

Group sales in the nine months to September rose to 46.68 billion Swiss francs ($50.54 billion) from 43.98 billion Swiss francs a year earlier, the Basel company said on Wednesday, as diagnostics division sales jumped 39%.

"The demand for coronavirus tests remained high in the third quarter due to the Delta variant," Chief Executive Severin Schwan said, adding that there have also been signs of recovery in the pharmaceuticals unit since the summer.