GlaxoSmithKline ‘boosted by OTC products’

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has seen its profit margins boosted by the success of some of its over-the-counter (OTC) products in recent months, according to reports.

Drugs such as Panadol and Aquafresh toothpaste have been selling well and have helped to improve the overall financial standing of the company which has seen other aspects of its business suffer of late.

Among the most prominent success of recent years for GSK is the Alli weight-loss drug, which is has recorded almost £150 million in sales in the US in less than 12 months and looks set to be introduced in European markets next year.

“This market has got strong growth and the business has excellent prospects,” the group’s chief executive JP Garnier told the Times.

GSK has suggested that the growth prospects for its consumer products are particularly strong in developing countries and that it is well-placed to take advantage of the market for drugs that go from being sold via prescription to being made available OTC.