(Celltrion) Celltrion said Friday it posted record second-quarter sales and a 77.3 percent jump in operating profit, as newer, higher-margin products helped lift margins and push earnings above its own guidance.The Korean biopharmaceutical company reported preliminary consolidated revenue of 1.3 trillion won ($845 million) and operating profit of 430 billion won for the April-June period. Revenue rose 35.2 percent from a year earlier, marking Celltrion’s highest-ever second-quarter sales, while operating profit beat the company’s earlier target of 400 billion won.Celltrion said its latest performance signifies qualitative growth based on an expanded share of high-margin new products and an improved cost structure.Reflecting the industry’s seasonal pattern, where sales typically increase in the second half, the company said it expects to continue growth into the second half and exceed its full-year sales goals.Its new products such as Remsima, Yuflyma and Stequyma are seeing strong growth in key global markets, accounting for over 60 percent of total sales.Profitability is also showing structural improvement. With most one-time costs following the merger now resolved, cost competitiveness is improving as the company has fully exhausted its high-cost inventory and paid off all development expenses, it added.To back its portfolio expansion, Celltrion is strengthening its production capabilities. The company plans to build a new 180,000-liter production plant in Korea and expand its Branchburg plant in New Jersey by 75,000 liters.“This performance shows that our strategies to expand our portfolio and improve profitability are beginning to yield tangible results,” a company official said.