Abstract
Introduction:
Can branded pharmaceutical companies ever win the war against generics? No.
But they can win some of the battles. Growing pressures on innovator companies
means that innovator companies are becoming more inventive in searching for
blockbuster products--which in turn increases the pressure on generics
companies to find ways of bypassing new defense barriers. Now, innovator
companies can choose from among a variety of specific, practical tactics to
defend themselves from the threat of generics--either by defending the company
as a whole or by defending key individual products that come under attack.
Get the Answers You Need to Shape Your Strategy:
- In May, 2007, after previously enjoying success from its diversification
into generics, Merck KGaA sold its generics business to Mylan for $6.6
billion. What strategy is Merck KGaA now taking to help avoid the threat of
generics and help define its future?
- Medco Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefits manager, has been looking
forward to the 2007 expiries of patents on ten major branded drugs. Which
of these drugs has Medco singled out as providing huge savings after patent
expiry?
- Biological products present several barriers to companies wishing to
manufacture imitations. Thus, an increased focus on biologics--such as
vaccines, protein products, and hormones--can help a branded company move its
product assortment out of the range of generics companies. Which companies
have already switched their R&D focus to biologics? What barriers must
generics companies overcome if they wish to play the biologics game. Which
generics players are most likely to overcome these barriers?
- Originator companies have embraced the use of authorized generics;
however, in early 2007, the FTC recommended legislative changes after
examining the issue of authorized generics. What lies ahead for this
popular tool?
- Innovator companies are more risk averse than they used to be; the latest
trend has been for companies to contract out some of their R&D risk by
cooperating with other R&D specialists--including generics companies. Which
R&D company is at the top of the list of generics companies tapped by Big
Pharma for their R&D capabilities?
Scope:
Importance of defense strategies: the slowing pace of NCE
introductions; generics penetration in the United States, Europe, and Japan;
lessons from the loss of patents to Pfizer' s Norvasc and AstraZeneca' s
Prilosec; patent expiries due in 2007 on ten major brands.
Company-based defense strategies: mergers, increased emphasis on
biologics R&D, contract research, and acquisitions of generics companies.
Product-specific defense strategies: adding patents to existing
products; developing new isomers and enantiomers of existing products;
introducing new versions, formulations, and combinations of existing products;
adding new indications for existing products; switching products from
prescription basis to OTC; pursuing litigation; launching or supplying
authorized generics.
Outlook: threats to authorized generics; cooperation between innovator
companies and generics companies; the swing to biological research.
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