Swiss drugmaker Roche 1st quarter sales up 7 pct.

BASEL, Switzerland - Pharmaceuticals maker Roche Holding AG reported Thursday a 7 percent increase in first quarter sales thanks to strong demand for its cancer drugs, anti-virals and eye products.

The Swiss drug maker, which reports profit figures only for the half year and full year, said sales grew to 11.6 billion Swiss francs ($10.16 billion) from 10.86 billion francs in the first three months of 2008.

Sales were mainly driven by a 30 percent increase in cancer drug Avastin and an 11 percent increase in breast cancer treatment Herceptin _ both developed by recently acquired biotech firm Genentech.

Roche, which completed its $46.8 billion takeover of the California-based company last month, said it plans to have finished the integration of Genentech by the end of the year.

A full-year outlook including the impact of the Genetech acquisition is planned with the release of the half-year results on July 23, Roche said.

Flu treatment Tamiflu saw a 38 percent increase in sales, Roche said.

Shares in the company were up 0.9 percent at 151.10 Swiss francs ($132.35) on the Zurich exchange.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)