GRÜNWALD (dpa-AFX) - Drugmaker Dermapharm has started the new year with significantly higher sales and profits in its day-to-day business. "The main growth impulses in the opening quarter resulted from the acquisition of the Arkopharma Group, strong organic growth in our existing portfolio and a resumption of growth in the parallel import segment," company CEO Hans-Georg Feldmeier said in a statement Monday. Sales climbed 37.8 percent year-on-year to 319 million euros in the first three months and operating profit adjusted for special items (adjusted Ebitda) rose 40.9 percent to 105.8 million euros, the Grünwald-based company said.

Dermapharm confirmed its targets for the full year. The company had experienced a special boom during the pandemic due to the contract production of Corona vaccines for the Mainz-based manufacturer Biontech. Like everywhere else in the industry, this tailwind is also weakening at Dermapharm. Nevertheless, sales are expected to rise to between 1.08 and 1.11 billion euros this year. The Group is also counting on its most recent acquisition, the French pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements manufacturer Arkopharma. By contrast, adjusted operating profit is expected to fall to between 300 and 310 million euros in 2023./mne/mis