Blockbuster Drugs' Market Share in Danger

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the next few years, many branded drugs that produce up to $15 billion in annual sales will lose patents and be exposed to generic competition, according to recent studies by Cutting Edge Information.

"Combating Generics: Pharmaceutical Brand Defense" reveals that more than $80 billion worth of blockbuster drugs face patent expiration by 2008. This year alone at least eight blockbusters, including Allegra, Plavix and Zofran, have had patents expire. These drugs risk losing 80% or greater market share when generic copies begin to hit the market. With so much to lose, pharmaceuticals have turned to lifecycle management to sustain their stellar revenue streams and defend their brands against generic competition.

According to research found in "Defending Brand Revenue: Pharmaceutical Lifecycle Management Planning," some of the most lucrative post-launch lifecycle management strategies are line extensions. This tactic enables brand teams to launch follow-up products within their franchises. New formulations, new indications, and new dosing alternatives are just a few line extension strategies that have proven successful for some brands in the industry.

"One of the first steps in defending your pharmaceutical products against generics is to realize the importance of timing," says Jon Hess, project team leader at Cutting Edge Information. "Pharmaceutical companies must start preparing early in a product's lifecycle to prevent generics manufacturers from absorbing their markets, as well as begin to implement strategies to deal with the drug's inevitable patent expiration."

"Defending Brand Revenue: Pharmaceutical Lifecycle Management Planning" analyzes LCM organizations and strategies from Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi-Aventis, among others. To download a free summary, visit http://www.PharmaLifecycleManagement.com. For more information on this report, please call Oveda Slade at 919-403-6583 or e- mail info@cuttingedgeinfo.com.

"Combating Generics: Pharmaceutical Brand Defense," includes more than 250 metrics on generics-defense lifecycle management planning and execution, budgets allocated for franchise and line extension R&D, staffing resources dedicated to combating generics, and more. To download a free summary, visit http://www.PharmaGenerics.com. For more information or to learn about other Cutting Edge Information research, contact Jon Hess at jon_hess@cuttingedgeinfo.com or call 919-403-6583. SOURCE Cutting Edge Information