British pharmaceutical and biotechnology giant GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) has delivered robust second-quarter 2025 results, fueled primarily by strong growth in its specialty medicines portfolio.

Total sales for Q2 reached GBP 8.0 billion, marking a 6 percent rise at constant exchange rates (CER), supported by double-digit growth in respiratory, immunology and inflammation, oncology, and HIV therapies.   

Specialty medicines generated GBP 3.3 billion in sales (up by 15 percent), with oncology up 42 percent; HIV therapies growing 12 percent, while respiratory, immunology and inflammation 10 percent sales increase.

Vaccines also saw a 9 percent rise to GBP 2.1 billion, led by a 22 percent surge in meningitis vaccine sales. Sales of Arexvy and Shingrix increased by 13 percent and 6 percent, respectively. 

General Medicines, however, declined by 6 percent to GBP 2.6 billion.

Total operating profit for the quarter climbed 33 percent CER to GBP 2,023 million, while Core operating profit rose 12 percent to GBP 2,631 million. Core earnings per share grew 15 percent to 46.5p. The company generated GBP 2.4 billion in operating cash and GBP 1.1 billion in free cash flow.

GSK CEO Emma Walmsley said, "GSK’s strong momentum in 2025 continues with another quarter of excellent performance driven mainly by Specialty Medicines, our largest business, with double-digit sales growth in Respiratory, Immunology and Inflammation, Oncology and HIV.”

“We also continue to make very good progress in R and D, with 3 major FDA approvals achieved so far this year, 16 assets now in late-stage development, and 4 more promising medicines to treat cancer, liver disease and HIV expected to enter Phase III and pivotal development by the end of the year. With all this, we now expect to be towards the top end of our financial guidance for 2025 and remain confident in our long-term outlooks,” she added.

GSK also reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting to deliver results at the top end of its forecast ranges — anticipating turnover growth of 3-5 percent; core operating profit growth of 6-8 percent; and core EPS growth of 6-8 percent.

The company highlighted significant pipeline progress, including three FDA approvals to date for Penmenvy (meningitis vaccine), Blujepa (a first-in-class antibiotic for complicated urinary tract infections - cUTIs), and Nucala (an anti-IL5 biologic for COPD).

Blenrep, a treatment for multiple myeloma, has received approval in the EU, Japan, UK, Canada, and Switzerland, with constructive discussion ongoing with the FDA, with a new PDUFA date set for 23 October 2025.

Meanwhile, a US regulatory decision on depemokimab, targeting asthma with type 2 inflammation and nasal polyps, is expected in December 2025.

GSK reported progress across 14 key pipeline opportunities expected to launch between 2025 and 2031, each with peak year sales (PYS) potential exceeding GBP 2 billion.

The Phase III PIVOT-PO study for tebipenem, a potential new antibiotic for cUTIs, was stopped early due to positive efficacy results, with regulatory filing now planned by the end of the year.

The Phase III development programme for depemokimab in COPD is underway following the launch of the ENDURA studies.

Additionally, several pivotal and Phase III trial initiations are scheduled for the second half of 2025, including potential cancer therapies GSK'227 (B7H3 ADC for ES-SCLC) and GSK'981 (IDRx-42 for second-line GIST), efimosfermin for MASH, and a new long-acting HIV treatment combining cabotegravir and rilpivirine (Q4M).

GSK also advanced its business development efforts, completing the acquisition of efimosfermin for steatotic liver disease from Boston Pharmaceuticals and entering an agreement with Hengrui Pharma to develop up to 12 new medicines in RI and I and Oncology.