Generics

A view from South Africa

Generics/News | Posted 17/12/2010

Aspen Pharmacare, Africa’s biggest generic drugs company, reported a 24% rise in full-year profit at the end of June 2010, boosted by its South African unit, and says it expects strong demand in the coming year.

Who are the GPhA and what do they do?

Generics/General | Posted 10/12/2010

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) is a group that represents the interests of generic drug manufacturers in the US. To achieve this they pursue an active lobbying policy. They are currently in talks with the FDA to improve the process by which it approves generic medicines. Generic pharmaceuticals account for 75% of the prescriptions dispensed in the US but consume just 22% of the total drug spending.

Apotex loses fight over Plavix patents

Generics/News | Posted 10/12/2010

Apotex was told to pay sanofi-aventis (sanofi) and Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMS) a whopping US$442 million (plus interest) for violating patents on the blockbuster blood-thinner Plavix (clopidogrel bisulphate).

Brand loyalty, generic entry and price competition in the US

Generics/Research | Posted 03/12/2010

In a new working paper from the US National Bureau of Economic Research researchers investigated brand loyalty, generic entry and price competition in the 25 years since the 1984 Waxman-Hatch legislation came into force.

FDA grants approval for generic lansoprazole

Generics/News | Posted 03/12/2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced on 18 October 2010 that it had received FDA approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for its generic version of Takeda's Prevacid (lansoprazole) SoluTab.

Teva brings another action against Mylan

Generics/News | Posted 03/12/2010

In October 2009, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries filed a lawsuit against Mylan for infringement of multiple patents, with respect to patents on its glatiramer acetate drug–Copaxone. The patents cover pharmaceutical compositions containing it, methods of using it and processes for making it. Those patents expire in May 2014 and September 2015. No trial date is scheduled.

What is the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)?

Generics/General | Posted 03/12/2010

The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) often comes up when talking about drug comparisons, but what is it and how does it relate to medicines?

Ranbaxy beats Teva to Alzheimer’s drug

Generics/News | Posted 26/11/2010

Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride), Eisai Pharmaceutical’s biggest selling drug, comes off patent in the US in November 2010. Thereafter donepezil hydrochloride may be sold as a generic drug. Teva has applied to sell donepezil, but the FDA granted Ranbaxy first access to the lucrative market in a letter dated 17 September 2010.

An ageing population: generics and biosimilars could be the solution

Generics/News | Posted 19/11/2010

On 17 October 2010 the European Generic Medicines Association (EGA) organised an event to discuss patient access to affordable treatments and healthcare sustainability in view of an increasingly ageing population.

Canadians pay almost twice as much as Americans for generics

Generics/Research | Posted 19/11/2010

A new study released on 13 October 2010 by the Canadian Fraser Institute finds that Canadians pay far higher prices, in fact almost double, for generic drugs than patients in the US.