Dong-A ST posted its highest-ever quarterly revenue, driven by balanced growth across all business divisions, including prescription drugs (ETC), overseas business, and digital healthcare.
Dong-A ST said on the 27th that its second-quarter revenue on a separate basis rose 17.2% year-on-year to 207.8 billion won. This marks a record high on a quarterly basis. Operating profit increased 170.4% over the same period to 10.9 billion won. The improved profitability is attributed to the expansion in revenue scale, as well as the cost-of-sales ratio remaining at a level similar to the same period last year despite increased sales of licensed-in products.
The earnings growth was led by the core ETC division. ETC revenue rose 15.2% from a year earlier to 148.6 billion won. While existing flagship products maintained stable growth, expanded sales of externally licensed-in products, such as the gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment "Zaqbo," helped drive the revenue increase. In the second half, the domestic launch of the epilepsy treatment "Xcopri" is scheduled, raising expectations for additional revenue growth.
Overseas business revenue increased 20.9% year-on-year to 46.9 billion won. Expanded overseas sales of products such as Bacchus and the anemia treatment "Darbepoetin Alfa" supported the earnings growth. The digital healthcare division also showed growth. Its revenue rose 208% from a year earlier to 3.2 billion won, driven by increased sales of the wearable electrocardiogram monitoring system "HiCardi." Dong-A ST plans to launch a new product, "HiCardi M350," in the second half to sustain the growth momentum of its digital healthcare business.
In the research and development (R&D) division, the company continues to develop treatments for metabolic diseases, obesity, cancer, and neurodegenerative brain diseases. "DA-1241," a treatment for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and type 2 diabetes being developed by U.S. affiliate MetaVia, has completed a global Phase 2a clinical trial. The obesity treatment "DA-1726" is undergoing Part 3 of a global Phase 1 clinical trial to confirm safety and tolerability at high doses. In addition, the tau protein aggregation inhibitor "DA-7503" and the immuno-oncology drug "DA-4505" are undergoing Phase 1 clinical trials in Korea.
A Dong-A ST official stressed, "We achieved record quarterly revenue through balanced growth across all business divisions, including ETC, overseas business, and digital healthcare," adding, "We will continue to strengthen our business competitiveness and R&D capabilities to leap forward as a global healthcare company."
