Roche First-Half Profit Advances 10% on New Cancer Medicines

Roche Holding AG’s first-half profit climbed 10 percent as new breast-tumor drugs Kadcyla and Perjeta showed signs of being able to fuel growth as the Swiss drugmaker prepares for lower-priced copies of its main cancer medicines.

Earnings excluding some items, which the company calls core net income, climbed to 6.65 billion Swiss francs ($7.1 billion), Basel-based Roche said in a statement today. Earnings per share on that basis were 7.58 francs, beating the 7.45-franc average of 12 analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.