Generics/News
FTC and Teva disagree on 'pay-for-delay' deals savings
In a speech on 23 June 2009 before the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, USA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz said that an internal FTC analysis projects that stopping collusive ‘pay-for-delay’ settlements between brand and generic pharmaceutical firms would save consumers US$3.5 billion (Euros 2.5 billion) a year and also reap significant savings for the federal government, which pays approximately one-third of all prescription drug costs. Mr Leibowitz urged Congress to pass pending legislation to ban or restrict such anticompetitive patent settlements, in which manufacturers of brand-name drugs pay potential generic competitors to stay out of the market, as a way to control prescription drug costs, restore the benefits of generic competition, and help pay for healthcare reform.
Teva looking for ‘major’ acquisition
Just a year after swallowing the US$7.4 billion (Euros 5.3 billion) Barr Laboratories buy, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries is ready for another ‘major’ acquisition and may look beyond generic drugs for the purchase, CEO, Mr Shlomo Yanai, said. According to him, Teva is seeking targets to diversify in branded medicines as well as increase its market share in generic drugs. “If we find a target that is in line with our strategy in the specialty area, in the biotechnology area, we definitely are going to consider it,” Mr Yanai said. “We are not limiting ourselves to buying only generic companies.” He declined to name possible targets.
Watson to acquire Arrow to double generics business
Watson Pharmaceuticals announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Arrow Group for US$1.75 billion (Euros 1.25 billion) in cash and stock. The combination of Watson and Arrow will result in a global pharmaceutical company with over US$3 billion (Euros 2.15 billion) in revenue, commercial operations in over 20 countries, and a robust product portfolio and pipeline. Watson expects the transaction to close in the second half of 2009, and be accretive to cash earnings per share in 2010 before synergies.
Pfizer plans partnerships and acquisitions in generics
Pfizer, the world's biggest drugmaker, is seeking deals with generic pharmaceutical manufacturers to increase sales of medicines that have lost patent protection.
Nomura: Generics growth will be steady for EU but anaemic for US
Between now and 2012, growth in the European generics market is expected to expand at less than 10% a year according to Ms Frances Cloud, co-head of healthcare investment banking at Nomura International, as she told the World Generics Medicines Congress Europe 2009, held in London, UK, in February.
