A MEDICAL firm behind custom prescriptions has vowed to increase its support for cancer suffers after saluting a record year.

Quantum Pharma says stronger demand for new products, allied to expansion deals, have fuelled its growth.

The business, in Burnopfield, near Stanley, County Durham, supplies medicines for unique prescriptions, with staff altering drugs’ potencies, assessing ingredients to counter allergies and changing distribution from tablet to liquid form.

Officials say such work, combined with greater patient needs and successful launches of remedies for cancer treatment side effects, have given it a platform to advance its industry standing.

Intrinsic to its successes, said Andrew Scaife, chief executive, will be the firm’s Mucodis brand, which includes a spray and mouthwash to help ease patients’ well-being post cancer care.

Mucodis works to prevent oral mucositis, one of the most common complications of chemotherapy and radiation, which experts say can cause open sores in the lining of the mouth, and Mr Scaife said Quantum will continue to develop new treatments, adding he hopes more hospitals will take on the drugs.

He said: “The response to Mucodis from clinical teams at hospitals has been extremely positive.

“We are gaining permission in hospitals for the product to be purchased for use and by the end of the summer expect to have gained permissions in hospitals covering 35 per cent of patients diagnosed with cancer each year.

“The next launches in the Mucodis range are anticipated in the coming months.”

According to its latest results, covering the 12-month period to January 31, new drugs, alongside multi-million pound agreements to buy market rivals NuPharm Group and Lamda, have given Quantum a real fillip.

Mr Scaife said revenue was 13 per cent better off at £70m, with adjusted pre-tax profit 75 per cent higher at £10m.

Within Quantum’s sub-divisions, he added its niche division, which makes and develops products such as Vitamin D brand Aviticol, enjoyed a strong performance, as product delivery replaced development work to push revenue 126 per cent higher at £4.3m.

He also highlighting its NuPharm tie-up, saying it has allowed the group to make more of its own lines, while revealing its Lamda acquisition, which includes Lamda Laboratories SA and Lamda Pharmaceuticals SA, has increased research and development work.

He added: “We have made progress in developing several key aspects of the business (and) put in place a strong platform from which the group can deliver its strategy.

“I’m excited about the potential of the product pipeline and, although it is early in the year, trading in the first quarter of the current financial year has been strong.

“The products due to launch this financial year are on track, and we are confident in the outlook for the year.”

Quantum employs about 250 people and has a vast programme of more than 30,000 drugs, which include methadone reefers.