Roche continued to outpace the pharmaceutical market as demand for its cancer drugs and flu treatment grew strongly in the first quarter.

Cancer drug sales rose by 52 per cent, driven by sales of newer drugs such as Herceptin and Avastin, developed in partnership with Genentech, the US biotechnology company in which Roche owns a majority stake. Sales of Herceptin doubled from the same period last year, and further growth is expected to come as Roche filed for approval the drug’s use in early stage breast cancer earlier this year, in addition to its current approved use in advanced breast cancer.