Hester Biosciences saw its shares rise as much as 6% after the animal healthcare company reported a sharp increase in first-quarter profit, fueled by an exceptional gain tied to the restructuring of a loan from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Ahmedabad-based company, which specializes in animal vaccines and health products, posted a nearly six-fold jump in Q1 net profit. The substantial year-over-year improvement was primarily driven by a one-time exceptional item resulting from the modified terms of the foundation's loan, rather than from core operating performance, meaning the earnings surge is unlikely to recur in subsequent quarters unless further one-time items materialize.

Hester Biosciences, listed on Indian stock exchanges under the ticker HB01, is known for its portfolio of veterinary vaccines and therapeutics serving both domestic and international markets. India ranks among the world's largest livestock populations, underpinning demand for animal health products and positioning companies like Hester as participants in a sector with structural growth drivers tied to food security and rural livelihoods. The Gates Foundation loan restructuring provided a significant boost to the company's reported earnings for the quarter.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world's largest philanthropic organizations, has previously extended financial support to Hester Biosciences as part of its global health and agriculture initiatives. The foundation has a documented interest in livestock vaccine development for low- and middle-income countries, where animal disease control is linked to smallholder farmer productivity and zoonotic disease prevention.

Read the original report on CNBC-TV18.