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Schering expects 20 million US dollar sales in 1993 from Betaseron, a beta interferon targeted at the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). For 1994, sales of 200 million US dollars are forecast. The product received FDA approval in July 1993, and it hit the US market in October of the same year. The company plans to invest 860 million Deutsche Marks (DM) in 1994 on R&D, compared to DM800 million in 1993.

Pharmaceutical joint venture Pasteur Merieux has launched its Avaxin hepatitis A vaccine in the U.K.. The company had been expected to introduce Vaqta, which has received licenses in the U.S. and Germany. Pasteur Merieux's director of business relations says that the two vaccines are very similar.

Wellcome UK has introduced Valtrex, a new antiviral drug and a development of its Zovirax antiviral agent. Valtrex will treat herpes zoster and the company hopes the drug will help it maintain its major share of the antiviral. Valtrex is said to resolve acute shingles pain faster than Zovirax and it has improved bioavailability.