Generic forms of the first biological drugs threaten to capture significant market share as many of those drugs’ patents will expire over the next few years.  A recent report, “Combating Generics: Pharmaceutical Brand Defense” (http://www.PharmaGenerics.com), published by pharmaceutical intelligence firm Cutting Edge Information, reveals top companies’ strategies and tactics for fending off generic competition and retaining market share.

Conservative estimates predict that biogenerics will command more than $12 billion of the drug market by 2010.  While the scientific and regulatory pathways to generic approval still are unclear, blockbuster drugs, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Procrit, Amgen’s Epogen and Roche’s NeoRecormon, likely will face generic competition over the next few years.

One strategy that could help pharmaceutical brand teams block sales erosion is evergreening – the practice of preempting generic entrants with new, improved versions branded drugs before their patents expire.  A handful of first-generation innovators have found success following this model, according to “Combating Generics: Pharmaceutical Brand Defense,” which is available online at http://www.PharmaGenerics.com.  Amgen launched second-generation product Aranesp, an improved version of EPO, to render generic forms of the first-generation drug obsolete before they even could reach the market.

“AstraZeneca set the bar for evergreening with the launch of Nexium, a second-generation drug to replace Prilosec,” said Eric Bolesh, senior analyst at Cutting Edge Information. “AstraZeneca actually grew its share of the gastrointestinal market after Prilosec’s patent expired and generics and over-the-counter forms came to market.”

Cutting Edge Information’s report, “Combating Generics: Pharmaceutical Brand Defense” (http://www.PharmaGenerics.com) examines key trends and developments in the pharmaceutical industry.  Making its case with more than metrics and dozens of detailed case studies, the report analyzes the options available to brand teams and therapeutic area leaders for defending drug patents and maximizing asset returns in the face of generic competition.  Some strategies pharmaceutical companies may engage are:

·    Switching patients to a line extension

·    Flanking generics and other licensing and distribution agreements

·    Defensive pricing

·    Increased DTC advertising and patient outreach, compliance and retention activity

·    Rx-to-OTC switching 

To download a free summary of this 190-page report, visit http://www.PharmaGenerics.com. For more information or to learn about other Cutting Edge Information research, contact Diana Borja at diana_borja@cuttingedgeinfo.com or 919-433-0219.

 
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