HONG KONG, Nov 25, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited ("Jacobson Pharma" or the "Company"; Stock Code: 2633), a leading company engaged in the research, development, production, marketing and sale of essential medicines, specialty drugs and branded healthcare products, today announced the interim results of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively the "Group") for the six months ended 30 September 2022 (the "Reporting Period").
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
-- Revenue grew by 8.9% period-on-period, totaled HK$817.4 million
-- Profit for the period up by 77.8%, amounted to HK$147.4 million
-- Profit attributable to equity shareholders up by 70.2%, amounted to HK$136.2 million
-- Sound financial position with net gearing ratio decreased from 29.2% to 20.8%
-- The Board declares an interim dividend of HK2.8 cents per share
-- Promising sales growth witnessed on certain key therapeutic lines including cardio-vascular, anti-diabetic as well as cold and flu products.
-- Arsenic Trioxide Oral Solution, being the first specialty medicine made in the Group's PIC/S GMP plant alongside robust clinical substantiation, attained approval for use in designated hospitals in the Greater Bay Area
During the Reporting Period, the Group delivered total revenue of HK$817.4 million, which represented a period-on-period growth of 8.9%. Gross profit increased by 24.8% to HK$340.4 million, whilst profit attributable to equity shareholders amounted to HK$136.2 million, up by 70.2%, which was mainly attributed to the uplifted sales revenue, alongside the enhancement in product mix and operating leverage, coupled with the subsidies from the HKSAR Government pertinent to the Employment Support Scheme.
The Group maintains a healthy financial position as supported by its strong cash flows, with adjusted EBITDA of HK$290.5 million for the Reporting Period and the net gearing ratio decreased significantly from 29.2% as at 31 March 2022 to 20.8% as at the end of the Reporting Period. In addition, the Group has a sound cash position, with cash and cash equivalents of HK$860.4 million as at the end of the Reporting Period. The Board declares the payment of an interim dividend for the six months ended 30 September 2022 of HK2.8 cents per share, up by 133.3% as compared to HK1.2 cents of FY2022 Interim.
Robust Portfolio of Essential Medicines to Meet Healthcare Demand
During the reported period, the generic drugs business of the Group demonstrated resilient performance, driven by steady growth in both private and public sectors. Overall growth was benefitted from the easing of social distancing measures which facilitated the resumption of medical consultation visits in both public and private sectors in Hong Kong, thus boosting the demand for essential drugs as well as specialty medicines.
Amid the fifth wave of the epidemic outbreak, the Group geared up its production and supply of symptomatic relief medicines to cater for the increased public demand, which was reflected by the growth of 48.5% in the Group's range of cold and flu preparations in the public sector for the Reporting Period.
In addition, exhibiting a robust trend, medications for the aging population and chronic disease patients continued to present a strong demand. A case in point was that angiotensin II receptor antagonists and lipid-lowering products in the cardiovascular product class recorded a strong growth of 66.4% and 60.0% respectively in the private sector during the Reporting Period.
Steady Product Pipeline and Continuous Efforts in Portfolio Enhancement
As a continuous effort to meet the medical and patient needs with quality essential medicines, the Group launched a number of new products including Atorvastatin Tablet, Trimetazidine Modified Release Tablet, Olmesartan Tablets, Bicalutamide Tablet, Ofloxacin Ear Drop and Idarubicin Injection during the Reporting Period. Additionally, the Group has secured registration approval for 21 new products for upcoming market launches.
As of 30 September 2022, the Group has a total of 177 products in its research and development pipeline, among which 59 items have been approved for registration, 14 of them have been submitted for registration, 48 items have finished the development stage and are under stability preparation or stability study, and 27 items currently under formulation or pre-formulation research development stage.
Making In-roads into the Greater Bay Area
The Group's collaboration with the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital in introducing its oral solution treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia, Arsenic Trioxide Oral Solution, into designated hospitals in the Greater Bay Area has been given approval by Guangdong Province Medical Product Administration. This marked the first Hong Kong-made specialty medicine ever gained approval under the "Interim Regulations on the Administration for Importing Urgently Needed Clinical Drugs and Medical Devices from Hong Kong and Macao to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of Guangdong Province".
Formulation of ESG Strategy and Respective KPIs
As a corporate citizen that places long-term commitment to environmental, social and governance ("ESG") duties, Jacobson Pharma has formulated and progressed on its ESG strategy, "Jacobson 5 to Thrive", which underpins five priority areas, namely, product responsibility, commitment to employees, environmental stewardship, societal engagement and corporate governance duty. In response to such strategy, key performance indicators (KPIs) have been set and will continue to be evaluated from time to time in order to track respective progress on priority issues and programs, including greenhouse gas emissions, water and electricity usage, as well as utilisation of renewable energy.
Mr. Derek Sum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jacobson Pharma, noted, "Although COVID-19 has had an impact on the Group's business performance, we believe it will be transient. We are delighted that Jacobson Pharma achieved notable growth momentum in the first half of FY2023 amid the volatile economic sentiment. Thanks to the concerted effort of our teams, we delivered a resilient performance across both private and public sectors for our core business demonstrating an enhanced operational efficiency and a disciplined cost control.
"We remain positive about the future outlook of the healthcare industry and the growth prospect of the market for essential medicines. To capitalise on the emerging opportunities, we will continue to focus on advancing the Group's growth strategies and positioning it as an eminent provider of essential medicines and specialty drugs in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area."
About Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited (Stock Code: 2633)
Jacobson Pharma is a leading pharmaceutical company in Hong Kong vertically integrated and engaged in the research, development, production, sale and distribution of essential medicines and specialty drugs. As a major provider of generic drugs in Hong Kong, the Group has one of the most extensive sales and distribution coverage for both the private and public sectors in Hong Kong, with an expanding reach into strategically selected Asian markets. Carrying a broad product portfolio and taking a pre-eminent market position in a number of therapeutic categories, the Group operates a host of 10 PIC/S GMP licensed production facilities for generic drugs in Hong Kong.
The Group aims at the continued strategic enrichment of its generic drug portfolios through the addition of high-value-added products. With its corporate headquarters based in Hong Kong, the Group has also established its operating subsidiaries in China, Macau, Taiwan and Cambodia, forming a regional commercial platform to tap the market potential in the Asia Pacific and Greater China region. Jacobson Pharma has been a constituent stock of MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index since 1 June 2017. For more details about Jacobson Pharma, please visit the Group's website: http://www.jacobsonpharma.com
Source: Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited
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