A full half-year of contributions from a recent acquisition has boosted revenues at BTG, the biotechnology group, as it looks forward to the direct marketing of its two major drugs in the US next year.

Pre-tax profits dipped 29 per cent to £2.4m ($3.9m) on revenues that rose 59 per cent to £47.9m in the six months to September 30. The surge in revenues came from the addition of Protherics, the drug group with which BTG merged last year.