Hypertension: ALLHAT results threaten growth of the anti-hypertensives market - or do they?

Following the long awaited results from the ALLHAT trial, investigators have concluded that genericized diuretics and not newer agents should be the first line therapy in the treatment of hypertension. Datamonitor investigates suggestions that the trial design was flawed, and how the pharmaceuticals industry might counter the trial results.

Published By Datamonitor

ID Biomedical: prevention is better than cure

If ID's Streptococcus vaccine proves to be effective, it has a strong chance of commercial success. There is a strong opportunity to develop vaccines for bacterial disease, as vaccination is considered preferable to antibiotic treatment. ID is at a particular advantage in this area, due to its Proteosomes nasal drug delivery technology.

Published By Datamonitor

Inex/GSK: the growing importance of drug delivery

GSK will foot the bill for Inex's development work. In a market where drug delivery is becoming as important as the compound itself, the deal represents a good chance for GSK to boost the sales and life expectancy of its drug. Inex, meanwhile, should gain significant opportunities by partnering with a leading pharmaceutical company.

Published By Datamonitor

Infertility: Serono and Organon, who's the daddy?

One in six couples in the developed world are estimated to be infertile. Europe is currently the major market for infertility treatment with approximately 250,000 cycles per year, due to public sector funding, but the US and Japan present massive latent market potential for the industry's key players, Serono and Organon, to squabble over.

Published By Datamonitor

Inhaler devices are still a major hurdle in asthma and COPD treatment

Inhaled drug delivery has major advantages over other methods of administration but inhalers can be difficult to use, and those devices which overcome the problems of the majority of inhalers often lack broad availability across molecules and drug classes. A range of therapies in the same type of device would improve proper use of inhalers, which could have a positive impact on treatment.

Published By Datamonitor

Is cost containment impacting pharmaceutical innovation?

With the cost of healthcare provision spiraling, governments and payers across the seven major markets are applying cost-cutting measures, putting even greater pressure on pharmaceutical companies. In the UK, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence recently rejected four new kidney cancer therapies on the basis of cost effectiveness, effectively denying patients access to these novel drugs.

Published By Datamonitor

Is OTC the way to be

Published By Datamonitor

Ivax: making Pfizer feel the pain of generic competition

Ivax [IVX] believes it has a strong case of non-infringement against Pfizer's blockbuster epilepsy drug, having gone ahead with the launch of generic Neurontin. However, if Pfizer [PFE] prevails in the patent litigation, Ivax will be required to pay penalties and reimbursements for any lost Neurontin sales. This calculated risk could boost Ivax's sales by $60 million.

Published By Datamonitor

J&J: innovative pain relief

With J&J's [JNJ] Duragesic transdermal fentanyl patch losing patent protection in 2004 and the threat of generic competition from 2005, the launch of the innovative E-TRANS fentanyl PCTS later this year will help offset some of the predicted decline in Duragesic sales.

Published By Datamonitor

Janssen and Eli Lilly come to blows with their antipsychotics

The war between Janssen's Risperdal and Eli Lilly's Zyprexa has been raging for several years. With the recent FDA approval of Risperdal for delaying relapse in the long-term treatment of schizophrenia, the battle could hot up. So with Lilly also having to beat off generic competition, will Zyprexa become another Prozac?

Published By Datamonitor