Torrent Pharmaceuticals, the Ahmedabad based pharma major, has announced impressive growth in bottom line as well as top line during the quarter ended December 2006.

Its consolidated net profit went up by 333 per cent to Rs 26 crore from Rs 6 crore in the corresponding period of last year. Its net sales increased by 22.3 per cent to Rs 334 crore from Rs 273 crore for the comparable period. All key business segments - India, Brazil, Heumann (Germany) and Russia contributed to top line growth.

PBDIT for the third quarter nearly doubled to Rs 40 crore compared to Rs 21 crore mainly due to strong profitability from India and Brazil businesses.

The company's consolidated net sales for the nine months registered a growth of 26.8 per cent to touch Rs 955 crore as compared to Rs 753 crore in the similar period of last year. Its domestic business registered sales o Rs 437 crore with a growth of 23 per cent. The segment grew 31 per cent adjusting for sales gain in Q1 on account of implementation of VAT.

Its consolidated international sales grew by 40 per cent for the period, from Rs 305 crore to Rs 427 crore. This includes Rs 188 crore (Rs 111 crore in the last period) pertaining to Heumann (Germany), which was acquired in July 2005. Torrent's Brazil business recorded a jump of 43 per cent in sales to clock Rs 133 crore during the period. Improved sales force productivity; expansion in doctor coverage and increased territorial reach is expected to maintain the growth momentum in Brazil. Russian market including CIS countries) delivered a noticeable performance with sales moving up from Rs 26 crore to Rs 39 crore, a growth of 49 per cent during the period.

The approval from US FDA for is Chhatral facility will boost its filings of ANDAs and DMFs in the coming year. The company also concluded an agreement with Dr Reddy's Labs for exclusive commercialisation of two of Torrent Pharma's brands in Russia.