[Ip-health] Best Selling Drugs Will Soon be Biologics, But Not Owned by Biotechs says Reuters

[Sarah Rimmington]

Why does this matter? Because in the current biogenerics debate, the
"fact" that the biotech industry is dominated by small companies that
hire a lot of Americans, and that will go under unless they get a
regulatory pathway replete with bureaucratic obstacles and extended
monopoly protections (data exclusivity) that they can evergreen almost
into eternity -- is one of the biggest reasons why many key
congresspersons are seemingly supporting their very anti-consumer,
anti-patient and anti-innovation legislative proposals.


http://industry.bnet.com/pharma/10003268/best-selling-drugs-will-soon-be-bi=
ologics-but-not-owned-by-biotechs/

BNET Pharma
Best Selling Drugs Will Soon be Biologics, But Not Owned by Biotechs

By Trista Morrison | July 23rd, 2009 @ 9:54 pm


A recent Reuters article noted that =93the world=92s six biggest-selling dr=
ugs in 2014 will all be biotech products.=94 Interestingly enough, only one=
 of them is actually owned, at least partially, by a biotech company.

Top of the list, based on a report from research firm Evaluate Pharma, is A=
vastin (bevacizumab), an anti-cancer antibody with projected 2014 sales of =
$9.23 billion. To be fair, Avastin was developed by, and until recently mar=
keted by, biotech bellwether Genentech. But Genentech was acquired by partn=
er and part-owner Roche earlier this year.

Pegged for second is Abbott=92s Humira (adalimumab), an anti-inflammatory a=
ntibody for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn=92s disease and other in=
dications. The drug was originally developed through a collaboration betwee=
n BASF and Cambridge Antibody Technology =96 but Abbott took over BASF=92s =
part of the deal and CAT was acquired by AstraZeneca plc. While Abbott cert=
ainly has some biotech aspects to its business, it=92s overall size and bre=
adth fall into pharma territory.

Third is Genentech/Roche=92s Rituxan (rituximab), an antibody for cancer an=
d arthritis.

Fourth is anti-inflammatory antibody Enbrel (etanercept), sold by Amgen and=
 Wyeth. This is the one drug on the list that biotech still has its hands i=
n, at least for now. Enbrel was developed by Immunex, which merged with Amg=
en back in 2002. Although Wyeth has been a partner since the early days, Am=
gen has thus far held onto its share of the rights and its independence.

Projected to come in fifth is Sanofi-Aventis=92s diabetes drug Lantus (insu=
lin glargine), and in sixth place is yet another Genentech/Roche drug, anti=
-cancer antibody Herceptin (trastuzumab).

What does this tell us? That the system works, I suppose. That biotech is g=
ood at making drugs and big pharma is good at selling them.

Test Tube image by Flickr user marshlight, CC2.0


--
Sarah Rimmington
Attorney
Essential Action, Access to Medicines Project
Washington, DC
Tel: +1 (202) 387-8030
Cell: +1 (202) 422-2687
www.essentialaction.org/access/