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Profits for generics’ giant Teva soar

Generics/News | Posted 31/01/2011

Israel-based generics’ giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has reported a third quarter 2010 profit rise of 47%, mainly attributed to sales of its multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), its acquisition of Ratiopharm and generic launches in the US.

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The generic drug wars: deeply discounted medication

Generics/Research | Posted 31/01/2011

Fierce competition among major pharmacy chains in the US, such as CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, has led to a generic prescription pricing war with unclear public health implications.

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Ranbaxy gets 180-day exclusivity for Alzheimer’s generic

Generics/News | Posted 31/01/2011

On 30 November 2010, generics’ giant and India’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer, Ranbaxy Laboratories, announced the launch of a generic version of Pfizer’s blockbuster Alzheimer’s treatment, Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride), in the US.

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The clinical equivalence of brand-name beta-blockers and their generic counterparts

Generics/Research | Posted 21/01/2011

The healthcare systems of the world are all under pressure to reduce costs and using generic substitution for the initially prescribed, more expensive equivalents is an obvious area to investigate. However, as a report reiterated in 2010, treatment decisions should not be based on economic grounds alone, for this would not be in the patient's best interest and would therefore be unethical. What is needed is an opinion based on the evidence available regarding therapeutic equivalence [1].

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Are generic diuretics clinically equivalent to their brand-name counterparts for the management of cardiovascular disease?

Generics/Research | Posted 21/01/2011

Prescription costs are rising, mainly due to brand-name drugs recouping their investment during the period of patent protection and market exclusivity. For this reason, many payers and prescribers encourage use of the cheaper generic versions [1]. This has been found to have another positive consequence, namely the increased accessibility to prescription treatments and an increased compliance with drug regimens, particularly in the case of chronic conditions [2, 3].

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Sun gains tentative approval for generic Crestor

Generics/News | Posted 21/01/2011

Indian-based Sun Pharmaceutical Industries announced on 29 September 2010 that the FDA had granted its subsidiary a tentative approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of IPR Pharmaceuticals’ (a part of AstraZeneca) anti-cholesterol drug Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium).

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Generic or brand-name drugs for cardiovascular disease? Does the evidence match current opinion?

Generics/Research | Posted 14/01/2011

Cardiovascular drugs constitute a large proportion of outpatient prescription drug spending.

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The rise in power of generic drugs

Generics/Research | Posted 14/01/2011

With shrinking pipelines, the impending expiration of many drug patents, and the global economic downturn experienced in the last two years causing prescription payers to face budget cuts, generic drugs are becoming an increasingly large player in the economics of the global pharmaceutical industry.

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WHO prequalification programme for APIs

Generics/News | Posted 14/01/2011

The WHO initiated on 21 October 2010 a pilot prequalification programme for selected active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in drugs for HIV and related diseases, antimalaria and anti-tuberculosis medications.

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FDA considering tighter controls on generics

Generics/News | Posted 07/01/2011

The FDA may tighten standards for how closely generic drugs resemble brand-name equivalents. This comes as a result of complaints from both patients and employees of generic drugmakers that some of the medicines do not work as well as the originals.

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Generic combination antibiotic launched in US

Generics/News | Posted 07/01/2011

On 26 October 2010, Hospira announced the launch of its combination antibiotic (piperacillin and tazobactam) for injection in the US. The medication is a generic version of Zosyn, the world’s leading injectable antibiotic, from Pfizer (Wyeth). Piperacillin and tazobactam injection posted sales in the US in 2009 of more than US$855 million.

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Tackling counterfeit drugs in China

Generics/News | Posted 17/12/2010

The Chinese State Council, or cabinet, said on 19 October 2010 it would “launch a special campaign to fight intellectual property rights infringement and the manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods” at a meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao. The six-month campaign, which includes making sure government organisations use genuine software, will begin at the end of October 2010, said the State Council.

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India’s top pharma company strengthens ties with South Africa

Generics/News | Posted 17/12/2010

Generics’ manufacturer Cipla is a prominent Indian pharmaceutical company, best known outside its home country for manufacturing low-cost anti-AIDS drugs for HIV-positive patients in developing countries. Cipla exports to 170 countries and its manufacturing facilities are approved by WHO, US FDA, UK MHRA and other major agencies. Cipla was responsible for lowering the cost of triple therapy antiretroviral (ARV) to less than US$1 per day and is, in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, to supply ARVs to third world countries.

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A view from South Africa

Generics/News | Posted 17/12/2010

Aspen Pharmacare, Africa’s biggest generic drugs company, reported a 24% rise in full-year profit at the end of June 2010, boosted by its South African unit, and says it expects strong demand in the coming year.

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Who are the GPhA and what do they do?

Generics/General | Posted 10/12/2010

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) is a group that represents the interests of generic drug manufacturers in the US. To achieve this they pursue an active lobbying policy. They are currently in talks with the FDA to improve the process by which it approves generic medicines. Generic pharmaceuticals account for 75% of the prescriptions dispensed in the US but consume just 22% of the total drug spending.

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Apotex loses fight over Plavix patents

Generics/News | Posted 10/12/2010

Apotex was told to pay sanofi-aventis (sanofi) and Bristol-Meyers Squibb (BMS) a whopping US$442 million (plus interest) for violating patents on the blockbuster blood-thinner Plavix (clopidogrel bisulphate).

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Brand loyalty, generic entry and price competition in the US

Generics/Research | Posted 03/12/2010

In a new working paper from the US National Bureau of Economic Research researchers investigated brand loyalty, generic entry and price competition in the 25 years since the 1984 Waxman-Hatch legislation came into force.

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FDA grants approval for generic lansoprazole

Generics/News | Posted 03/12/2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced on 18 October 2010 that it had received FDA approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for its generic version of Takeda's Prevacid (lansoprazole) SoluTab.