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Asian Producers Raise Their Profiles In the Global Pharmaceutical Value Chain
May 2, 2006
By: Patricia Van Arnum
Pharmaceutical Technology

Indian and Chinese manufacturers are becoming a force in the global pharmaceutical supply chain by further penetrating Western generic drug markets, upping investments in manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and in formulations, and strengthening internal research and development.

"Indian companies are becoming leaders in capital investments in generics and are leading in drug master files (DMFs)," says Cynthia Dowd Greene, vice-president for industry research at Newport Strategies (Portland, ME, www.newportstrategies.com/), who recently spoke at the Generic Pharmaceutical Association's (GPhA, Arlington, VA, www.gphaonline.org/) API 2006 Meeting. In 2005, Indian companies filed 265 DMFs, up from 227 in 2004 and 139 in 2003, notes Greene.

According to a Harris poll conducted in early December for the Wall Street Journal Online, nearly half of US adults and more than 73 percent of US Vioxx users said they were closely following the story of the withdrawal of Vioxx. More than half of those who had taken Vioxx—or lived in a household where someone else did—said they took some action based on what they read. About 60 percent of those in households where Vioxx was used said they were somewhat or very concerned. (For additional results of the survey, see our Leading Indicators section.)

To me, those numbers look pretty encouraging. People understood that the Vioxx news identified a potential risk. They paid attention and took personal responsibility—just the way they're supposed to.

The market-driven system, which relies on patents and protected pricing to finance medical innovation, leaves treatment gaps in Europe and the developing world. So says a report commissioned by the Dutch government on behalf of the World Health Organization. The report, "Priority Medicines for Europe and the World," identifies 17 conditions for which treatment is inadequate or nonexistent, and it maps out strategies for filling the gaps, using government-funded research, public-private partnerships, and adjustments to the incentives offered to industry. (The full report is available online at mednet3.who.int.prioritymeds/.)

Many companies get caught up in discussions with their agencies about rich media, paid search, and scalable databases. Yet most pharma companies still haven't mastered one important fundamental—developing a site that speaks to their audience and gives users the information they seek.

This article discusses some basic tactics that will help companies develop more relevant sites. It examines the issues of fair balance, content, information architecture, usability, and design. These elements, when executed properly, draw consumers into a site and keep them there.

Sandra Holtzman

NuSil Technology is a leading formulator of silicone compounds for aerospace, healthcare, electronics, and other applications requiring precise, predictable, cost-effective materials performance. ISO-9001 certified since 1994, NuSil operates state-of-the-art laboratories and processing facilities in both North America and Europe and provides on-site, in-person application engineering support worldwide. Earlier this year, the company announced the acquisition of Rhodia Silicones’ long-term implantable silicones business. Long-term implantable silicones are used in medical device products implanted for 29-days or more. Drug Delivery Technology interviewed Richard A. Compton, NuSil’s President & Chief Executive Officer, on how this acquisition demonstrates NuSil’s continued commitment to the healthcare industry, further strengthening its leading position as the supplier of choice for medical device manufacturers worldwide.

Security at work is tight. No o­ne waltzes through the lobby without ID. Passwords and entry codes are required within. Firewalls ring the computer network. Transmissions are routinely encrypted. The grounds are guarded, the perimeter fenced. Surveillance cameras abound. The company's prized knowledge assets are beyond the reach of renegades and rivals, right?


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As scientists' knowledge of biochemical pathways increases, so does the number of patents issued for generic treatment claims. Such claims represent methods of treating disease by modulating a particular protein in the body. They typically don't name a specific drug, and they are not linked to the use of a particular class of drugs. They are called "generic" because they cover any compound that affects the particular protein.

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The pharma industry has traditionally defined effective public relations by the number of positive press clips a campaign generates. In some cases, several big placements in top media outlets have justified a PR campaign's budget. But not anymore. Clients and their PR counsel must adopt a new definition of high-value partnership. Although pharma company marketing staffs have been downsized, expectations for public relations initiatives have not. Consequently, PR agencies have the opportunity to help pharma marketers deliver o­n, and exceed, their management's expectations-with a higher return o­n investment. That is why PR professionals must do more than simply generate great media coverage and provide additional business value. This article offers five ways the new breed of PR counselor goes beyond getting "good ink" to become a true marketing and business partner.

Tamar Hosansky may have a better grasp of the potential impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks o­n pharmaceutical marketing than the Wall Street and media analysts that threaten doomsday scenarios. From her vantage point as editor of Medical Meetings, the outlook isn't as grim as many believe, but changes in continuing medical education (CME), medical association meetings, and conference travel policies are sure to come.

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Arcoxia: In March, Merck withdrew its application to sell Arcoxia (etoricoxib), a treatment for arthritis, chronic and acute pain, and dysmenorrhea, stating it was to "better position the product to compete successfully." Although Merck remains in the arthritis market with Vioxx (rofecoxib), the removal of Arcoxia is likely to benefit Pharmacia and Pfizer, who co-market hot-selling Celebrex (celecoxib), which had $3.11 billion in sales last year.

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