Dongkook Pharmaceutical (086450.KS) posted record-high quarterly revenue and operating profit in the first quarter, driven by growth in its cosmetics and health functional food businesses alongside steady gains in its prescription drug (ETC) division.
In a quarterly report filed Tuesday, the company said consolidated first-quarter revenue reached 251 billion won, with operating profit of 27.3 billion won and net profit of 26.3 billion won. The figures represent year-on-year increases of 12.2%, 8.0%, and 46.4%, respectively.
On a non-consolidated basis, the company reported revenue of 212.4 billion won, operating profit of 23.3 billion won, and net profit of 23.6 billion won, up 15.9%, 12.3%, and 40.6% from a year earlier.
Growth in the health and beauty (H&B) division stood out. The dermo-cosmetic brand Centellian24 expanded across overseas markets including North America, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, with exports surging 332% year-on-year. "Centellian24 is establishing itself as a leading 'pharmacy beauty' brand in the global market," Dongkook Pharmaceutical said.
In the domestic market, the company's flagship product Madeca Cream surpassed cumulative sales of 93 million units as of March. Boosted by the success of the Madeca Prime beauty device, cumulative brand sales exceeded 1 trillion won. Membership at the company's online mall, DK SHOP, also surpassed 1 million, establishing it as a key distribution channel.
The health functional food division continued its growth trajectory. Cumulative sales of the premium health supplement brand MyFit topped 42 billion won, while the launch of the Dongkook Pharmaceutical Health Mall earlier this year and the expansion of offline stores at 41 department stores nationwide contributed to the improved performance. Health functional food sales rose approximately 55% year-on-year.
In the ETC division, growth was led by the hyperlipidemia combination drug Rosutanjet and the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) combination drug Uresco, which was launched late last year. Uresco, the world's first BPH combination drug, has been evaluated as having successfully established itself in the market.
Dongkook Pharmaceutical attributed the profitability gains to streamlined selling and administrative expenses and diversified distribution channels. "As revenue grew, the efficiency of selling and administrative expenses improved, and profitability continues to strengthen through the diversification of distribution channels in the H&B division," the company said.
The company also plans to accelerate efforts to secure future growth drivers through open innovation. Centered on DK Pharmaceutical Research Institute, its dedicated drug delivery system (DDS) research unit, Dongkook is pursuing the commercialization of Rorelin, a microsphere-based prostate cancer treatment available in one-month and three-month formulations.
Building on this platform, the company aims to expand its next-generation DDS pipeline to include treatments for obesity, acromegaly, and immunosuppression, with a strategy of becoming a global DDS innovation leader. It also plans to enter new markets through pet healthcare and the expansion of partnership products.
