Two directors of Northern Ireland pharmaceuticals group Galen have realised almost £9 million sterling (£9.9 million) after selling shares in the market.

Chief executive John King sold 1.35 million shares at 400p sterling each to realise £5.4 million sterling. Another director, Geoffrey Elliott, sold 750,000 shares at the same 400p sterling to realise £3 million sterling. In a separate disclosure, the McClay Trust, a charitable trust established by Galen chairman Allan McClay when he donated six million shares to Queens University Belfast ahead of last year's flotation, has sold 400,000 shares to realise £1.6 million sterling.

The trust retains 4.6 million Galen shares.