Elder Pharmaceuticals has posted better growth in bottom line as well as top line during the third quarter ended December 2006. Its net profit increased by 35.6 per cent to Rs 14.57 crore from Rs 10.74 crore in the corresponding period of last year.

The company's net sales moved up 26 per cent to Rs 118.93 crore from Rs 94.41 crore. The EPS for the quarter, after considering the rise in the equity capital, worked out to Rs 7.84 as against Rs 6.14.

The staff cost increased by 32.6 per cent to Rs 15.39 crore. Elder's profit before interest, depreciation and taxation increased by 13.4 per cent to Rs 20.98 crore from Rs 18.50 crore. The company has entered into a marketing pact with F Hoffman La Roche for its global blockbuster Bon Viva, a drug or Osteoporosis. The company is mainly focusing on pain management, dialectology and cardiology.

For the nine months ended December 2006, Elder's net profit saw a growth o0f 67.3 per cent to Rs 41.86 crore from Rs 25.02 crore in the similar period of last year. Its net sales increased by 22.9 per cent to s 341 crore from Rs .277.36 crore.