Roche says 2017 profit growth unlikely to outstrip sales

Zurich

ROCHE on Wednesday forecast that profit growth would not outstrip sales in 2017 as the world's top cancer drugmaker increases spending on new products that it hopes will offset declines in ageing biotech medicines now going off patent.

The Swiss drugmaker dismissed speculation that it was looking to unload its diabetes care unit, saying that it was "committed" to the business.

Core earnings per share…