Yahoo TV

STORY: GSK raised its full-year profit forecast on Wednesday (May 1).

The UK drugmaker saw strong demand for vaccines and specialty medicines.

CEO Emma Walmsley's strategy has focused on such products, as well as treatments for infectious diseases.

She has also pushed for a shift in HIV focus to long-acting treatment and prevention therapy.

The firm said it expected a rise of up to 10% in annual adjusted earnings per share.

That's up the growth previously forecast

GSK said sales of recently launched products like respiratory disease vaccine Arexvy, among others, have gone well.

It reported first-quarter sales of close to $9.2 billion, just ahead of forecasts.

But GSK also noted sales growth would slow in the second half.

It projected the majority of its sales of blockbuster shingles vaccines Shingrix in China to be in the first-half.

GSK is also dealing with lawsuits over its discontinued heartburn drug Zantac in the U.S.

The claimants allege the medicine caused cancer.

The company took a provision of about $389 million in Q1 over that and other legal liabilities.

GSK shares rose more than 2% early Wednesday following the earnings report.