A SKINCARE company set up by a County Durham GP is aiming to be in profit by November next year.

Dermasalve, which is based in Newcastle, has been trying to gain a foothold in the £15bn global skincare market with a range of creams designed for sensitive and dry skin.

It has acquired the worldwide rights to distribute a cleansing lotion effective against MRSA and is also looking at introducing omega 3 skincare.

Chief executive Dr Mark Randle, who set up the company, has also launched liquid paraffin-free baby creams.

He said a slow start to the year, with delays in implementing Dermasalve's advertising and marketing programme for its creams, had led to a slump in sales.

But he said sales had started to pick up and an agreement had been signed with Orian Healthcare to market products in the Republic of Ireland, Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean.

Dermasalve's Newcastle office employs 15 people. Dr Randle said he planned to increase staff numbers considerably, although he was unable to provide a precise figure.

He set up the company in 2003, developing a range of hand, foot and body creams containing no skin sensitisers, after seeing a gap in the market through his work as a GP in Chester-le-Street.

His creams are distributed through Lloyds Pharmacy, national wholesaler AAH Pharmaceuticals and Numark Trading, a buying group for pharmacies.