Article preview from IN VIVO - May 2009
Two Phase III hepatitis C protease inhibitors from Vertex and Schering are set to reshape treatment for a difficult disease and potentially capture a significant chunk of a large and growing market. But other new therapies and combination regimens aren't far behind.
Continue reading "In HCV, Protease Race Heats Up with Combo Therapy Looming " »
Article preview from IN VIVO - May 2009
Highlights from the Q1 2009 review of pharmaceutical and biotechnology dealmaking: With 57 transactions raising $1.09 billion, financing activity for Q1 2009 showed a 137% increase over Q4 2008's total. The largest deal was an initial public offering--Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. sold off 15% of Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. for $684 million-the first since Bioheart Inc.'s February 2008 IPO. In M&A, Big Pharma mega-mergers was the big story as two major players--Wyeth and Schering-Plough--were scooped up by Pfizer Inc. and Merck & Co. Inc., respectively, in deals together valued at $109 billion, making up 96% of the Q1 M&A dollar volume. Biopharma alliances-with a 25% decrease in number of deals--only reached about half the dollar volume of Q4 2008, but Bristol-Myers Squibb continued its strong performance along with several other Big Pharma players that joined the playing field; GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Novartis AG, each with five alliances, tied as the quarter's most active deal makers. Much of the fourth quarter's alliance activity followed an option-based deal structure with the biotech handling R&D through pre-proof-of-concept after which the Big Pharma partner then takes over later-stage development and commercialization.
Continue reading "Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Deal Statistics Quarterly, Q1 2009" »
Article preview from IN VIVO - April 2009
Pfizer and GSK inked an innovative deal to create a jointly owned company focused on HIV therapeutics. The marriage combines GSK's marketing muscle and a stable of established products with Pfizer's newer offerings. While it's unlikely the new venture will unseat rival Gilead as the top player in the HIV market, the deal could be a cash cow for both drug makers, especially if a spin-out ensues.
Continue reading "The GSK/Pfizer HIV Venture: Another Sign of Change?" »
Article preview from IN VIVO - March 2009
KCI created a wound healing market potentially worth $6 billion as the first company to offer a new modality known as negative pressure wound therapy. Having uncovered such a large potential market, it's only natural that it would attract competition, and it has. In March 2009, wound care leader Smith & Nephew launched its own negative pressure wound therapy product line. KCI isn't going to give up market share without a fight; it's talking up its advantages and defending its IP portfolio mightily.
Continue reading "Smith & Nephew Challenges KCI in Wound Care " »
Article preview from Start-Up - February 2009
The market for home health care products, valued at $4.3 billion today, is one of the largest and most stable medtech markets in the US, according to "US Markets for Home Health Care Products," a report recently published by the FDC-Windhover division of Elsevier Business Intelligence. Like most health care markets, it owes its growth to the burgeoning aging population. This population will only grow. As the larger elderly segment of the population ages, they'll require care. But rising health care costs have forced patients to recover from disease and injury at home rather than in an acute care or even rehabilitation setting. A dangerous shortage of facilities, nurses and other skilled health care personnel adds to the pressures and ensures strong growth in the home health care market for the foreseeable future.
Continue reading "There's No Place Like the Home Health Care Market " »
