Generics/News

AstraZeneca, Teva settle Nexium, Prilosec patent disputes

Generics/News | Posted 05/02/2010

AstraZeneca has deferred the threat to its blockbuster drug Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) in a settlement with Israel's Teva that is likely to delay generic competition for a further four years.

EU regulators request details of drug patent settlements

Generics/News | Posted 02/02/2010

The European Commission reported on 12 January 2010 that it requested information from several drugmakers in relation to patent settlement agreements made between July 2008 and December 2009.

Sanofi-aventis still owns clopidogrel users patent for acute coronary syndrome, in contrast to most generic clopidogrels

Generics/News | Posted 01/02/2010

Since the European product patent on sanofi-aventis’ clopidogrel antiplatelet agent Plavixâ – one of the world's best-selling drugs with global sales of US$8.6 billion in 2008, co-marketed with Bristol-Myers Squibb – has expired, several generic clopidogrel products enter the European market. However, sanofi-aventis still owns the usage patent on one of the clopidogrel indications, namely on acute coronary syndrome.

Will Teva join Big Pharma by 2015?

Generics/News | Posted 25/01/2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ annual revenue will probably more than double to US$31 billion by 2015, as rising healthcare costs push patients and policy makers toward (bio)generic drugs, Chief Executive Officer, Shlomo Yanai, told analysts on 7 January 2010 in an Internet presentation from New York. According to FiercePharma, that would make it big enough to become one of the Top 10 drugmakers worldwide on the 2008 revenue ranking at least.

Steady gains in perceptions of generics in Japan

Generics/News | Posted 25/01/2010

As reported by Scrip News on 17 December 2009, the latest survey of patient and pharmacist perceptions of generic drugs in Japan shows a high percentage of patients would be willing to receive such products, while pharmacists view them as important in keeping down healthcare costs.

EGA warning sounded over generic drug tenders

Generics/News | Posted 12/01/2010

European Generic medicines Association (EGA)’s newly elected President, Mr Didier Barret, called for a “sustainable pricing system” for generic medicines to address unfair competition caused by large-scale government tenders for the products. Mr Barret, who also serves as head of Mylan's operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, made the remark as the organisation works on recommendations for expediting the approval of copycat drugs after patent expiration.

India and EU to resolve generic drug dispute

Generics/News | Posted 01/12/2009

India will resolve a dispute with the EU over generic drugs in an amicable way, Trade Minister Anand Sharma said on 6 November 2009.

EU to seek details of drugmakers' patent deals

Generics/News | Posted 08/12/2009

EU regulators will ask drug companies for details of deals with makers of generic medicines as part of a crackdown on firms suspected of blocking cheaper treatments, a European Commission (EC) official said on 19 November 2009.

Growing generic injectables market: a cousin to biosimilars

Generics/News | Posted 02/12/2009

Drugmakers are waking up to the opportunities in the generic injectables market for several reasons, not least of which are the high-profit margins the products can deliver. The segment also involves fast-growing therapeutic areas like oncology, anti-infectives and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. And for companies with an eye on the long-term prize, commercial and manufacturing experience in specialty generics could pave the way for a smoother entry into the biosimilars market when a regulatory pathway for low-cost biologics is created in the US.