Oct 29 (Reuters) - Incyte ( INCY ) beat Wall Street

estimates for third-quarter revenue and raised annual sales

forecast for its top-selling drug on Tuesday, as uptake among

patients remained strong.

Jakafi is approved for use in patients with two types of

blood cancers called myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera (PV).

The treatment is also approved for acute graft-versus-host

disease (GVHD), in which the donor's bone marrow or stem cells

attack the recipient's body.

The drug's sales have been especially driven by use among

GVHD and PV patients. The company expects PV to become the

largest contributor to Jakafi over time.

Incyte ( INCY ) expects Jakafi sales in 2024 to be between $2.74

billion and $2.77 billion, compared with its previous forecast

of $2.71 billion to $2.75 billion. Analysts on average expected

$2.75 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Sales from Jakafi rose 16% to $741 million during the third

quarter, beating estimates of $725.2 million.

Total sales from Opzelura, used for the treatment of

vitiligo and mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis in patients 12

years and older, also jumped 52% to $139 million in the quarter.

That also topped estimates of $130.8 million.

The drugmaker is banking on Opzelura's sales as it braces

for a loss of exclusivity to Jakafi in 2028.

On an adjusted-basis, Incyte ( INCY ) earned $1.07 per share in the

quarter ended Sept. 30, in line with estimates.

Its total revenue came in at $1.14 billion, above estimates

of $1.07 billion.