Pfizer's novel NGF pain drug is potential game changer

Phase II clinical trials of tanezumab in osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain and interstitial cystitis have demonstrated the drug's analgesic efficacy across these three chronic pain settings. Despite safety concerns and a high price point, Datamonitor expects tanezumab to enjoy a significant first-in-class advantage in a potentially lucrative novel area of pain therapy.

Daiichi Sankyo: new influenza drug may boost flagging Japanese market

Tokyo-based Daiichi Sankyo has filed a New Drug Application in Japan for its inhaled influenza antiviral, laninamivir. This neuraminidase inhibitor, administered in just a single inhaled dose, retains activity to strains resistant to the market leader, Roche's Tamiflu. As such, its approval may provide a much-needed boost to the declining Japanese antiviral market.

Using knowledge brokering to improve business processes

Over the past decade, open innovation has begun transforming the way global companies develop new products, as executives increasingly recognize the benefits of exposing internal R&D to outside ideas. Now, some organizations are going even further by applying open-source thinking to improve a range of core business processes. Aided by rapidly changing technology, these leaders are looking outside the gates to develop faster and better solutions to a variety of strategic, operational, and organizational problems.

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Roche: novel Herceptin formulation promises greater convenience

Having stepped up lifecycle management for its leading breast cancer monoclonal antibody, Herceptin, Roche hopes to encourage uptake of a more convenient formulation of the drug. This strategy could help to conserve its share of an increasingly competitive market, but may be challenging to implement due to concerns over compliance and financial incentives to prescribe intravenous cancer drugs.

US and EU regulators close in on pharmaceutical pay-for-delay deals

The evolving relationship between branded and generics pharmaceutical companies is set to undergo considerable change as regulators in both the US and EU move to restrict 'pay-for-delay' deals in a bid to increase generics cost-savings. As deals that delay the market entry of generics come under increasing scrutiny, the industry may find that its best option is to cease such practices altogether.

Sanofi-Aventis: CNS franchise takes a knock

Sanofi-Aventis has withdrawn its US and EU applications for its insomnia candidate, eplivanserin. Previously posited by Datamonitor to emerge as a key player in the insomnia market, the drug's discontinuation represents a blow to Sanofi-Aventis' diminishing late-stage CNS pipeline. The company's decision also casts doubt on the future of the serotonergic drug class in the treatment of insomnia.

Genentech/Roche: UK's NICE remains negative over Avastin for colorectal cancer

NICE, the UK's cost effectiveness watchdog, has again rejected the use of Avastin in combination with chemotherapy for first-line colorectal cancer patients, arguing that the drug isn't a cost effective use of NHS resources. Limited access to Avastin in the NHS will allow Erbitux to further penetrate the first-line colorectal cancer market in the UK, for which it was approved earlier this year.

Big Pharma seeks to insulate itself from impact of patent cliff

The pharmaceutical industry is facing an impending patent cliff, when some of its biggest selling drugs will lose patent protection and become exposed to generic competition. While companies are seemingly investing as much into diversification as they are into R&D, a new Datamonitor report suggests that moving away from the core business of prescription drugs may not be the best strategy.