AHA 2010: a selection of the key highlights

The 2010 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago (November 13-17) were relatively quiet, with Bayer's Xarelto and Merck's anacetrapib proving to be the main attractions. However, Datamonitor expects that data presented on cardiorenal sydromes, critical limb ischemia, and cachexia in heart failure will also have an impact on the future of cardiovascular drug development.

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Allergies: nothing to sneeze at

The continuing rise in the prevalence of allergic diseases, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema, will place considerable strain on the NHS in the UK. Insufficient numbers of allergy specialists and inadequate allergy training in medical schools will severely restrict access to disease modifying treatments like immune therapy.<BR />

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Antibacterials: hospitals drive market growth

Recent Datamonitor analysis reveals that the market for hospital antibacterials is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.7% between 2002 and 2008, reaching $7.2 billion by the end of this period. This compares favorably to that of the overall antibacterial market, which is forecast to demonstrate only 0.7% growth during the same time frame.

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Antibiotics: bad news for bacteria and pharma companies

Physicians frequently prescribe antibiotics for viral infections due to patient demands, even though they are unnecessary. Delaying the prescription avoids having to turn the patient down outright, but still reduces unnecessary use. Adopting this strategy could cut rates of resistance, saving healthcare providers money while making R&D in the antibacterials field less attractive.

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Beth Israel: big pharma deal wanted

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Breast cancer: aggressive treatment for older patients

The latest research shows that older breast cancer patients get the same benefits from aggressive cancer treatment as younger patients. At present, many physicians prescribe palliative care rather than aggressive chemotherapy for older patients; these findings should help change the treatment approach.

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Celiac disease: improved diagnosis potential highlights untapped market

A new study has highlighted the benefit of routine antibody testing in suspected cases of celiac disease. While these data prove the merit of serological testing, awareness of the disease remains a significant issue. Indeed, with almost no treatment options available, the development of an effective pharmacological therapy offers the potential to reap significant returns from this untapped market.

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Centocor: ambulance delivery to revive clot-buster sales

Pre-hospital thrombolysis should revitalize sales of thrombolytics, which have seen falling sales since 1998 because PCTA and stenting are more effective. However, the new procedure may be slow to reach the US, because of the high risk of litigation. And even where pre-hospital thrombolysis does take off, the major beneficiary will be Genentech's TNKase.

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Challenging times ahead for US pharma

President Obama's winning of a second term in office places further pressure on the pharma industry, with a more aggressive stance expected towards limiting drug expenditure. However, while the industry may well have fared better under challenger Romney, pharma faced hard times regardless of the outcome of the election.

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Clinical decision support tools set to fundamentally change the way medicine is practiced

Clinical decision support tools, technologies that provide information to aid the diagnosis and treatment of patients, are set to make dramatic changes to the practice of medicine, according to a new report by Datamonitor. However, the report also predicts that aspects of medical culture will prove barriers to adoption.

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