J&J sales rise in first quarter 2013

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Johnson & Johnson's sales increased by 8.5% to $17.5 billion in first quarter 2013, the healthcare products company said Tuesday.

The increase included a domestic sales increase of 11.2%. Profits for the quarter were $3.5 billion.

The company said sales growth primarily came from the antipsychotic Invega (paliperidone palmitate), the plaque psoriasis drug Stelara (ustekinumab), the arthritis, psioriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis drug Simponi (golimumab), the autoimmune and inflammatory disease drug Remicade (infliximab), the HIV drug Prezista (darunavir).

Another contributor to sales growth was such recently launched products as the prostate cancer drug Zytiga (abiraterone acetate), the anticoagulant Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and the hepatitis C drug Incivo (telaprevir).