ALK Abello chief expresses confidence in growth prospects

ALK Abello's chief executive officer (CEO) Jens Bager has expressed confidence in the future prospects of the company, based on recent trends and developments.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the executive stated that the first half of 2011 has proceeded as expected for the company, adding that it is "very much on the way" to meeting its medium-term targets.

Earlier this month, ALK published its financial report for the first six months of the year, during which it experienced year-on-year revenue growth of 20 percent to achieve a total of 1.3 billion Danish kroner (153.8 million pounds).

Mr Bager noted that this was achieved despite the business being held back by external factors in some sectors, such as the impact of politically-imposed price reductions in Germany.

He also highlighted the fact that the company's Japanese partner Torii Pharmaceutical will start clinical studies of its tablet-based cedar wood allergy vaccine in the second half of this year, which will be important to ALK's business in the long term.

"We have seen a very positive development and a high level of activity in our product pipeline in the past quarters," the CEO added.