Huons said Monday its sales hit a record high of 278 billion won ($256.1 million) last year, a 13.6 percent increase from 2016.

“In 2017, Huons' record-breaking earnings were driven by steady growth in specialty drugs, overseas sales growth in the beauty healthcare business, and growth in entrusted business,” the company said in a statement.

Huons registered 38.2 billion won in operating profit last year, up 13.7 percent from 2016, while posting 36 billion won in net profit, up 12.9 percent. By division, pharmaceuticals business grew 16.7 percent, beauty healthcare business increased 8.6 percent, and consignment business rose 15.6 percent.

Especially, Hutox (HU-014), the company’s botulinum toxin (BTX), attracted attention in the beauty healthcare business. Since obtaining its export license in 2016, Huons has concentrated its efforts on overseas markets through its exclusive sales rights with Huons Global, its holding company, and has achieved robust sales of 14.8 billion won in 2017.

At home, phase 3 clinical trials are underway at three university hospitals, with the company expecting to launch the product in the first half of next year. As a result, Huons and Humedix, a subsidiary of Huons Global, expect to maximize sales synergy in the plastic surgery and esthetic fields by jointly selling Elravie, its hyaluronic acid filler, and Hutox.

The company is also expanding its market share for eye drop, medical device, and cosmetics.

"As a result of both the quantitative and the qualitative growth through aggressive research and development (R&D) investment in 2017, we have established growth momentum in various business fields, from specialty medicines to beauty healthcare,” Huons CEO Um Key-an said. “The company will do its best so that it can maintain high growth this year.”

The company decided to pay a cash dividend of 600 won per share and a 10-percent bonus per share of common stock in December. Huons plans to finalize the dividend approval during its general shareholders' meeting in March.

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