Biopharmaceutical company Protherics has posted a pretax loss of £1.2 million sterling in the first half to September 30th against a profit of £5.1 million a year earlier.
Sales fell to £5.3 million from £5.7 million, while operating loss stood at £1.2 million compared with a profit of £144,000. Loss per share was 0.61 pence against earnings of 2.93 pence a share.
During the year, the group's BSE-testing technology, licensed by Protherics, was unveiled in Germany by Abbott Diagnostics. It anticipates significant take-up from the technology, and further international launches of the test are expected to follow.
Protherics also said it begins to see an increase in revenues from the BSE test in Europe, which have compensated for a decline in the Irish market.
The company also said it is "actively" seeking a partner to commence a Phase III programme of CytoFab, the treatment of sepsis.
PA
