GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a provider of thousands of pharmaceutical jobs, has revealed it experienced underlying sales growth of four per cent during the first quarter of the year.
The company has published its financial report for the January to March period, with the results said by chief executive officer Andrew Witty to be in line with his expectation that 2011 will be a year of "significant progress" for the multinational.
"I believe this first-quarter performance is positive on many fronts, with good progress made in delivery of our strategy to improve long-term financial performance," he added.
Underlying sales growth reflected expansion in the consumer healthcare, emerging markets and Japan sectors, among several others, Mr Witty noted.
However, pharmaceutical sales dropped in Europe and the US respectively, by five per cent and four per cent.
The report was published just a fortnight after GSK announced the planned divesture of a number of non-core over-the-counter brands, as it seeks to place focus on its most profitable offerings.