International healthcare group Alliance Pharma is to launch a range of new products over the next few months after making what it called significant progress in brand innovation.
The Chippenham-headquartered business said the new brands would boost its consumer healthcare portfolio, which already ranges from stomach ulcer treatments to anti-dandruff shampoo.
Alliance holds marketing rights to around 80 consumer healthcare brands, with revenues generated from a mix of direct, distributor and e-commerce sales in 100-plus countries.
It employs around 285 people across Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
The group announced the increase in its interim results for the six months to 30 June, a period in which it strong growth for a number of its brands was balanced by a mixed performance by some smaller products with regulatory issues resulting in some manufacturing delays.
As a result, pre-tax profits tumbled by 62% to £6.2m on revenue static at £82.4m.
The group said revenue growth had been impacted by destocking of its scar prevention and treatment Kelo-Cote in China as well as the temporary manufacturing delays.
However, demand for Kelo-Cote in China and else continued to recover along with its Amberen, the relief for menopause symptoms it acquired in 2020, and Nizoral, an anti-dandruff medical shampoo brand it bought in 2018.
Nizoral gained market share as a new Chinese distributor expanded the brand's reach, supported by new marketing campaigns and refreshed packaging, while Amberen returned to growth with a unique new product range extension due to launch soon.
There will also be new TV advertising campaigns for Kelo-Cote in the UK and eye care product MacuShield in Ireland.
Alliance chief executive officer Peter Butterfield, pictured, said: “We are encouraged by the recovery in China and the significant market share gains made by Kelo-Cote, along with the excellent progress of Nizoral, which is now fully under our control.
“Meanwhile our wider portfolio continues to provide a robust platform from which to grow our consumer healthcare brands.
“The second half has got off to an encouraging start as we have addressed the regulatory issues and recommenced production of certain products impacted in the first half of the year.
“We anticipate strong group sales growth in the second half as our marketing campaigns yield benefits and we launch several new products to grow our market share.”
