A recent Bloomberg article revealed the U.K. drug maker GlaxoSmithKline posted a first quarter profit gain of 31%, an increase that is likely due to rising sales of lung drugs and HIV treatments in conjunction with a weaker pound. Just weeks ago, Emma Walmsley took over as CEO at GSK. These reports are likely to boost her efforts in working to counteract falling sales of Advair, an asthma medication that was at one time a top-seller, by increasing sales of new drugs.

GlaxoSmithKline has pledged that the company will generate $7.69 billion in sales in 2018 through the sale of new drugs, including meningitis vaccines and HIV medications. GSK generates the biggest portion of its revenue in the U.S., and has faced issues with other pharmaceutical companies attempting to market “copycat” versions of Advair that are cheaper, which could wipe out Glaxo’s profit growth for 2017. The company stated that given constant exchange rates, and in the event generic Advair competitors do not enter the U.S., profits would increase by 5% to 7%.

GSK is currently working to expand the sales and marketing of Breo, its replacement for Advair, which is a bronchodilator used in preventing symptoms of COPD and asthma.

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