Generics

Go Perrigo!

Generics/News | Posted 19/11/2010

Generic drug maker Perrigo has made it to Fortune magazine's top 100 fastest growing companies in the US. Fortune is a business magazine especially known for ranking companies by revenue. So there is some rejoicing in Michigan as the local hero has now received national acclaim.

FDA user fees for assessing generic drugs

Generics/News | Posted 12/11/2010

The FDA is beginning a long-awaited attempt to create a system of user fees for assessing generic drugs. The US agency has a backlog of more than 2,000 products to review and has been short of funds for years. But things are never straightforward…

Slow response to internet sales of fake pharmaceuticals

Generics/General | Posted 08/11/2010

If you are reading this news online, you are surely aware that many sites claim to sell “generic medicines” “without prescription” over the internet. Police and authorities have noticed as well, but do not know how best to tackle these lucrative scams.

Teva continues to expand

Generics/News | Posted 08/11/2010

The world's largest generic pharmaceutical company, Israeli-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, is investing Euros 42 million to expand its production plant in Stouffville, Canada. At the same time Ontario is providing a Euros 4.8-million grant to Teva Canada, which will retain 182 high-skilled workers and hire 20 new employees.

Comparison of biosimilar and branded vancomycin

Generics/Research | Posted 29/10/2010

Despite demonstrating pharmacological equivalence, researchers have found biosimilar vancomycin exhibited inferior antimicrobial activity compared with the branded product.

Teva challenged over 180-day marketing exclusivity

Generics/News | Posted 29/10/2010

Canadian generics’ manufacturer Apotex has asked the US Supreme Court to hear a case that could have a lasting impact on how marketing exclusivity is awarded to generic-drug manufacturers by the FDA.

Japan’s generics sector set to grow

Generics/General | Posted 29/10/2010

Japan is currently the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market, with annual sales of approximately Yen 8,850 billion. Around 8% of its prescription drug sales (20% in sales volume) are generics.

Tentative approval for more new Sun Pharma generics

Generics/General | Posted 20/10/2010

Sun Pharma is not slowing down with the number of new generic medication introductions. The latest generics to come out of the company include versions of riluzole hydrochloride and rosuvastatin.

Incentives to use generic medicines

Generics/Research | Posted 01/10/2010

A variety of financial and non-financial incentives are intended to encourage generic prescribing. Physician budgets are used by Germany and UK and seem to encourage generic prescribing. Assistance in terms of electronic prescribing, medicines databases, audit and feedback on prescribing data, guidelines and formularies tend to be voluntary and have a limited impact. Denmark and the UK teach medical students to prescribe by INN rather than brand name. Portugal requires prescription by INN if a generic product exists. Physicians see this as a restriction on their prescribing freedom in Belgium and France and resist such moves.

An industry view of generic manufacturing

Generics/Research | Posted 01/10/2010

Research and development of innovative medicines are becoming more challenging, with only 29 medicines with new chemical entities launched in 2006. The dwindling pipeline of new innovative medicines reduces the number of new chemical entities that can be developed when patents on innovative medicines expire in the future. Manufacturers of innovative medicines attempt to extend the period of patent protection by either launching a new dosage, a sustained-release version, a new indication, a single isomer version or a combination medicine. These strategies delay the market entry of generic medicines. As generic competition primarily takes place in the market for prescription medicines, some manufacturers of originator medicines have switched their medicines from prescription to over-the-counter status, e.g. simvastatin 10 mg in UK.