Quote of the day

Quote of the day!

Globalisation and science...

 

We win, you loose - sign here. By Pereslegin

One gene - one disease? Wrong!

A decade-long effort by hundreds of scientists worldwide has uncovered 128 genes involved in the brain disorder schizophrenia, findings that point to new research avenues while suggesting a cure may not be achievable with a single treatment.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-22/schizophrenia-roots-tied-to-complex-web-of-gene-switches.html

Masterpiece of the day

A Global Pharma Boom Is Coming

Production of new drugs is costly: PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that for every 30 drugs in pre-clinical trials, only one makes it to market. Each drug costs millions (and sometimes billions) of dollars to develop, meaning R&D divisions are colossal monetary sinkholes that only occasionally produce a billion-dollar gem.

 

Consider this: A PWC report estimates that by 2020, the global pharmaceutical industry will be generating an annual $1.6 trillion in sales. That's 60% growth in a few short years. 

If these projections are correct, then it means rather than seeing an indefinite lean period, Big Pharma is set for a boom as this larger, more powerful growth trend plays out. And this spells opportunity for investors who look in the right places.
So, given the industry headwinds I just described, where will this growth come from? 

The short answer: emerging markets. 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-pharma-boom-coming-heres-180000860.html



Portfolio rationalisation... WTF?

The world’s biggest drugs companies are in talks with bankers about ways to cash in their multi-billion pound portfolios of older drugs in the face of declining sales.

The UK’s AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline, American pharmaceutical groups Abbott Laboratories, Pfizer and Merck and France’s Sanofi are all exploring ways to shed their off-patent drug portfolios, according to sources.

The drugs firms are understood to have already started to sound out potential buyers. The moves come as some of their biggest-selling drugs lose patent protection and face competition from generic rivals at the same time as increased cost pressures and the difficulties in discovering new innovative medicine.

“It’s a next step in the overall portfolio rationalisation trend that is dominating the sector,” Kasim Kutay, managing director and co-head of Europe and Moelis, said.

GlaxoSmithKline has taken the boldest strides to date after segregating its off-patent into an “established drugs” division with separate financial reporting. The drug groups is working with Lazard and has already spoken with some private equity groups to test the interest in its product.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/pharmaceuticalsandchemicals/10963323/SUNDAY-Big-pharma-groups-weigh-sell-off-of-old-drugs.html

$550,000 to $600,000 per year... Not bad numbers...

Last week, Biogen announced it would price Eloctate at $1.98 per unit, a cost ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum wrote in a note to investors was "in-line" with Baxter's ($BAX) Advate at about $550,000 to $600,000 per year. And taking into account Eloctate's less frequent infusion schedule--a dose is needed once every three to 5 days, as opposed to the standard twice- or thrice-weekly regimen--similar costs may lure patients toward Biogen's med.

http://www.fiercepharmamarketing.com/story/biogen-prices-new-long-acting-hemophilia-med-eye-patient-switching/2014-07-09

To be polite!

...

Be smart! The strategy

LONDON – Salix Pharmaceuticals of North Carolina said late Tuesday that it had struck a deal to acquire the Irish arm of an Italian drug maker, becoming the latest United States company to seek to move its headquarters abroad for tax purposes.

 

Under the deal, Salix will merge with Cosmo Technologies, the Irish unit of Cosmo Pharmaceuticals of Italy, in exchange for a stake of more than 20 percent in the combined company.

 

Salix will reincorporate in Ireland in a process known as an inversion, which will allow it to save millions of dollars in corporate taxes. The combined company will seek to be listed on Nasdaq.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/07/09/salix-pharmaceuticals-to-buy-irish-company-and-reincorporate-overseas/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

WTF??? Stop the germans!!!

Cut prices or be banned. Are they communists?

Don't be caught off-guard. Drugmakers are facing a new mandate -- cut prices or be banned.

Here's what's afoot. Health plans are increasingly refusing to cover certain drugs unless companies -- including Pfizer (NYSE: PFE  ) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK  ) -- charge less for them.

CVS Caremark, the nation's second-largest pharmacy benefit manager, excluded 70 drugs this year. In 2015, CVS plans to exclude around 200. Express Scripts this year excluded 48 drugs or medical products from its formulary.

Formularies are lists of drugs a health plan covers. Once a drug is dropped from a formulary, individuals have to pay full price, or switch to a rival company's drug. Both Pfizer and Glaxo have been taking a hard line about pricing, and expecting customers to stick with their drugs. But they're finding out that's dead wrong.

When Express Scripts, the nation's biggest pharmacy benefit manager, refused to pay Advair's price last year, Advair volume dropped by 5% (although revenue still increased due to a bump from pricing).

From: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/07/the-revolt-against-big-pharmas-astronomical-prices.aspx

Fake?

Ukraine will be free!!!

99.6 percent of Alzheimer’s disease drug trials fail

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/07/03/6-percent-alzheimers-disease-drug-trials-fail-experts-find/

Nanomedicine - when rocket science fails...

Just take a look on a sexiest nanomedical platform I ever seen: http://www.bindtherapeutics.com/technology/accurins.html
And guess what? It looks like it is not efficient: http://news.yahoo.com/bind-therapeutics-ends-cancer-drug-partnership-amgen-215749121--finance.html

The "keep it simple" rule works again...

The guy. The fresh ideas...