The third quarter reports for the renal industry are in, and while the profit picture is spotty,  some companies are moving forward with investments in R&D and new products.


Baxter

Baxter International Inc. has been improving since its fourth quarter drop of 26% last year. Baxter recently paid $380 million to acquire Baxa Corporation, a privately held company that develops pharmacy technology, and recently created Baxter Ventures to invest in early-stage therapies.

The company reported third quarter net income of $576 million, an increase of 10% from $525 million in the third quarter of 2010.  Earnings per diluted share of $1.01 grew 13% from $0.89 per diluted share reported last year.  Baxter's third quarter financial results included an after-tax special charge of $48 million (or $0.08 per diluted share) for the resolution of long-standing litigation.

Worldwide sales totaled $3.48 billion compared to sales of $3.22 billion in the third quarter of 2010, an increase of 8%. Sales within the United States of $1.40 billion grew 1%. International sales of $2.08 billion advanced 13%.


Rockwell Medical

Rockwell Medical has had struggling sales and stock these last two quarters but has invested heavily in research and development. The company spent $4.2 million in the third quarter on R&D compared to $0.7 million in the third quarter of 2010.

In July the company acquired an Abbreviated New Drug Application for injectable, active Vitamin-D, Calcitriol, for end stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis.

The company is conducting two Phase 3 clinical trials for Soluble Ferric Pyrophosphate, SFP, called CRUISE-1 and CRUISE-2. Each study is a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter study to demonstrate efficacy and safety of SFP-iron, delivered via dialysate, in adult chronic kidney disease patients requiring hemodialysis. Rockwell is also conducting a clinical study on SFP designed to investigate reduction in the need for erythropoietin stimulating agents in hemodialysis patients receiving SFP via dialysate. 


American Renal Associates

American Renal Associates Holdings Inc., and its subsidiary American Renal Holdings Inc. announced that revenue for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2011 grew 20% to $92.7 million compared to $77.2 million  for the same period in 2010. Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter grew 30% to $17.3 million compared to $13.3 million the year before.

As of September 30, 2011, American Renal  provided services at 101 outpatient dialysis centers serving 7,070 patients. Total treatments for the third quarter of 2011 were 260,976 or 3,303 treatments per day, representing a per day increase of 19% over the third quarter of 2010. Non-acquired treatment growth was 16.5% in the third quarter.