Shot in the arm for GSK and AstraZeneca from cancer drug sales

NHS England said an 8% drop in prescriptions in under three years for opioids was estimated to have saved nearly 350 lives (Alamy/PA) -

Drug giants GSK and AstraZeneca have revealed better-than-forecast first quarter profits thanks to strong sales for cancer treatments.

AstraZeneca notched up a 12% hike in operating profits to 4.25 billion US dollars (£3.14 billion) in the three months to the end of March, helped by an 8% jump in sales on a constant currency basis to 15.3 billion US dollars (£11.3 billion).