Dong-A ST announced Tuesday in a public filing that its operating profit for the third quarter decreased 7.7 percent year-on-year to 13.1 billion won. Revenue for the third quarter was 15.2 billion won, down 5.1 percent from 15.83 billion won in the same period of the previous year, and net income was 11.5 billion won, down 46.3 percent from 21.4 billion won in the same period of the previous year.

Dong-A ST's weaker earnings were attributed to the transfer of the diagnostic business to its affiliate Dong-A Chammed and the sluggish sales from the company’s flagship energy drink Bacchus. 

"In the third quarter, the ETC segment grew in sales year-on-year, but sales decreased due to the transfer of the diagnostic business to its affiliate Dong-A Chammed," Dong-A ST said.

ETC sales increased 10.8 percent year-on-year to 108.6 billion won thanks to expanded sales of a human growth hormone injection, Growtropin, while overseas sales decreased 16.8 percent year-on-year to 31.1 billion won due to the poor sales of energy drink Bacchus.

Still, the company emphasized that the R&D sector was producing meaningful results. 

In June, Dong-A ST submitted a marketing authorization application (MAA) for auto-immune disease treatment, Stelara biosimilar (ustekinumab) DMB-3115, to the European Medicines Agency (EMA),

Also, the company is preparing to submit a license application to the U.S. FDA within this year.

Meanwhile, Dong-A Pharmaceutical, an over-the-counter drug company that is part of Dong-A Socio Holdings, posted sales of 172.7 billion won in the third quarter of this year, up 13.9 percent year-on-year, surpassing Dong-A ST.'s sales for the first time.