Zimmer: big advances through tiny holes

Zimmer has released positive preliminary results for its two-incision minimally invasive hip arthroplasty system, and also plans to open a training facility teaching surgeons how to implant these systems. But while the system can radically reduce recovery time, it involves an extremely difficult technique that most orthopaedic surgeons are unlikely to adopt.

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Xolair: breathing easy over FDA approval

Xolair, developed by Genentech, Novartis and Tanox, reduces the number of attacks in severe allergic asthmatics. However prescribing restrictions, safety concerns and high cost are expected to limit sales to $593 million by 2010. The drug's best chance of success is through label extensions for pediatric use and for allergic rhinitis.<BR />

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Xigris: Lilly's sepsis flop misses out

Eli Lilly's Xigris sales have proved disappointing, for the year-to-date period ending February 28 2002 sales reached just $14 million, bringing total sales to $35 million since the drug's launch in late November 2001. Industry analysts had predicted sales of between $300 and $500 million in 2002, but this now seems unrealistic, so where did it all go wrong?

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Xenova/QLT: tackling multidrug resistance

UK biotech Xenova and its North American ally QLT will trial tariquidar for multidrug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer. As long as the results are positive, tariquidar should have a bright future: multidrug resistance is an increasingly serious problem in cancer treatment, and the developers look set to provide strong marketing support.

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Wyeth: Prempro linked with dementia

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that Wyeth's hormone combination therapy Prempro increases the risk of probable dementia in postmenopausal women aged 65 years or older. Further studies are needed to establish the role of estrogen therapies in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

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Wyeth: Effexor XR is deemed effective

Wyeth has released the findings of the study, which pooled together results of eight double-blind studies and compared Effexor XR to a leading serotonin selective re-uptake inhibitor. Although the drug's sales should be high it could suffer at the hands of strong competition from Lilly's duloxetine.<BR />

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World oil: an agreement close but not imminent

The cartel wants to shore up oil prices, cutting production by two million barrels per day. Finally, Russia has agreed to fully contribute to these reductions. However, Opec is still not entirely satisfied by the size and duration of the independents' production cuts. Quota cheating from within Opec's ranks might also undermine the deal.

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Women's health: tamoxifen may do more harm than good

While the drug is undeniably highly effective at treating breast cancer, some of the efforts to use it as a preventative medicine may be more questionable. For many women, the side effects could prove more dangerous than the risk of breast cancer. More studies need to be carried out to determine exactly which groups will benefit from the drug.

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Women's health: RU-486 still likely to succeed Stateside

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Women's health: more research needed into PMS

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