Alexion’s 1Q profits fall on higher expenses

Cheshire’s Alexion Pharmaceuticals said its first-quarter net income fell 43 percent, as higher costs and expenses ate into higher sales of its blood-disorder drug Soliris.

Alexion recorded $91.3 million in profits, or 45 cents per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31. That was down from $159.4 million, or 79 cents, in the same quarter of 2014.

Sales of Soliris increased nearly 6 percent, to $600.3 million, as more patients with two rare blood disorders started taking the drug, Alexion said.

But growth in research and development spending, acquisitions-related costs and selling costs outpaced the revenue increase.

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Alexion, which is planning to move its headquarters to New Haven this year, expects 2015 net product sales to range from $2.55 billion to $2.6 billion.

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