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Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline upgraded its annual earnings guidance after sales rose 7% in the second quarter.
Full-year earnings per share were now expected to show a decline of 3-5% at constant currency, compared to previous guidance of a 5-9% fall.
Revenue was boosted by sales of the company's shingle vaccine, which totalled £386m in the second quarter.
The bumper performance helped vaccine division sales grow 23% in constant currency terms.
The company still expects it earnings for the year to fall because of the introduction of generic competition to its asthma treatment Advair.
'GSK delivered continued good operating performance in the second quarter despite the loss of exclusivity of Advair,' chief executive Emma Walmsley said.
'We remain focused on strengthening our R&D pipeline and the execution of new product launches.'
'Positive clinical data received so far this year offer significant new opportunities for products in oncology, HIV and respiratory and we expect more important readouts in the second half of the year.'
'We also expect to complete our joint venture with Pfizer shortly, laying the foundation for the creation of two great companies: one in pharmaceuticals/vaccines; one in consumer Healthcare.'
At 1:10pm: (LON:GSK) GlaxoSmithKline PLC share price was +16p at 1676.6p