LONDON (AP) — GlaxoSmithKline, the world's second largest drug maker by revenues, posted an 11 percent rise in second-quarter profit yesterday after strong pharmaceutical sales in emerging markets helped offset the impact of generic competition in the United States.

Glaxo chief executive Andrew Witty also said the company had also started to see an impact from increased demand for its antiviral drug Relenza and forthcoming H1N1 adjuvanted vaccine amid a rapidly growing market for swine flu treatments as the virus spreads.

The company said it is in discussions with more than 50 countries about its swine flu vaccine and has contracts in place for 195 million doses worldwide.

London-based Glaxo, which sells asthma treatment Advair and the Ribena range of soft drinks, booked net profit for the three months to June 30 of £1.46 billion ($2.4 billion), up from £1.31 billion a year ago. It was also a significant improvement on the first quarter of the year.

Revenue rose 15 percent to £6.75 billion from £5.87 billion. But turnover fell two percent on constant exchange rates, reflecting increased generic competition following the loss of patent protection for products including migraine treatment Imitrex, epilepsy drug Lamictal, antidepressants Wellbutrin XL and Paxil CR.

Glaxo says that it expects the improvement in earnings to continue into the second half of the year, when it expects US generic competition to ease temporarily and further demand for its influenza drugs.