Semiweekly Roundup: Jan. 3, 2008
When MNC Drug Patents Expire, Firms Turn To Making Developing-Nation Drugs (India)
Expiration of drug patents apparently leads big multinational drug makers to turn to developing drugs sorely needed in developing countries. At least nine of the MNCs are attempting to develop drugs to treat tuberculosis, and seven of them also are trying for an anti-malaria drug. Others are working on drugs to treat other diseases important to developing countries, with some of them establishing research programs dedicated specifically to tropical diseases. (Click here for more )
“Global Pharma Firms Take A Tropical Dose”
Business Standard (India) (1/3/08)
NGOs Fault Most Indian Drug Makers For Corporate Social Responsibility Efforts (India)
Pharmaceutical companies in India are being targeted by non-governmental organizations as firms failing in their corporate social responsibilities. The NGOs say only Dr. Reddy’s and Lupin are drug makers that have done work in that area. The groups cited 30 firms as falling short of performing satisfactorily in that area, nine of them failing to contribute at all. (Click here for more )
“Pharma Firms Draw Flak For Failing In Social Duties”
Business Standard (India) (1/3/08)
Indian Pharmas Now Dominate Country’s Market In Wake Of Patent Reforms (India)
Indian pharmaceutical makers need not have been concerned about patent reforms allowing multinational companies to dominate the Indian market. India-based drug makers appear to have staved off that competition during the three years since reform by beginning to make their own patented products. Before the intellectual property changes were made to comply with World Trade Organization demands, U.K.-based GlaxoSmithKline had the highest market share in India, but that has dropped to third place behind Cipla and Ranbaxy Laboratories. Some experts caution three years of experience under the new laws are not long enough to know the real impact. (Click here for more )
“It’s Quite Patent For Domestic Pharma Cos”
Economic Times (India) (1/2/08)
Leavitt Plans India Visit To Discuss Safe Pharmaceutical Exports (India)
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans a January visit to India to discuss ways to make medicines and medical products safe for the U.S. market. During his visit, Secretary Mike Leavitt plans to visit sites that make drugs, food and other products intended for export to the United States. One of Leavitt’s visits is to be made to a facility delivering polio vaccine, but his schedule also includes visits with business people and senior officials in the Indian government. (Click here for more )
“U.S. Health Secretary Visiting India To Discuss Safe Imports”
WEBIndia (1/2/08)
Pfizer Japan To Ban 5,000 Workers From Smoking On The Job (Japan)
As of April, ahead of Pfizer Japan’s planned launch of Chantix (varenicline tartrate), its 5,000 employees are to be barred from smoking while on the job. The company already bans smoking at its Shinjuku headquarters, but it plans to ban the activity at sales sites and other locations, and in the company cars used by the 2,400 sales representatives. Pfizer Japan’s smoking policy states it is inappropriate for employees of a health care company to smoke. (Click here for more – may require a subscription )
“Pfizer Japan To Ban On-The-Job Smoking For All Workers”
Nikkei (Japan) 91/1/08)
Taiwan Researchers Find Cancer-Fighting Ingredients In Local Weeds (Taiwan)
Researchers at Taiwan’s national academy, Academia Sinica, say they have discovered three weeds common to the island have cancer-fighting ingredients. The ingredients in one of the weeds, bidens pilosa, is capable of repressing angiogenesis in cells that surround a cancer tumor, the researchers said. Compounds from the other two weeds have proven effective in actually killing cancer cells, the group’s leader said. Sources at the institution said trials are planned on animals and then humans to find an effective drug based on the ingredients. (Click here for more )
“Common Weeds Proven To Be Potential Cancer-Fighters”
China Post (1/1/08)
Australian PBS Adds Asbestos, Smoking-Cessation Drugs To Coverage (Australia)
Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme added Eli Lilly’s Alimta (pemetrexed disodium) and Pfizer’s Champix (Chantix) (veranicline tartrate) to its list of covered drugs. The addition of Alimta was notable because its coverage for asbestos-related mesothelioma was the subject of a large campaign by people with the disease to gain coverage. Champix is a smoking-cessation drug. (Click here for more )
“Asbestos Drug Listed On PBS”
ABC News (Australia) (1/1/08)
Vietnam Research Leads To Cancer Drug In Abundant Local Plant (Vietnam)
Vietnamese scientists report success in extracting from the local Sensitive plant the amino acid used in treating cancer. They said their four years of work led to the ability to extract alkaloid mimosine from the mimosa pudica plant and could be used in a drug much cheaper than drugs that now have to be imported. The mimosa pudica Sensitive plant is abundant in Vietnam. (Click here for more )
“Local Scientists Extract Cancer Drug From Native Plant”
Thanhniem (Vietnam) (1/1/08)
Drug Experts Concerned About Increased Chinese-Drug Exports To U.S., Europe (China)
Pharmaceutical companies in China have doubled their exports to the United States in the past five years, and some industry experts are raising national-security concerns. They note that the ingredients for anthrax vaccines no longer exist in the West, leaving the area to rely on China and India to produce the drugs after Western supplies are exhausted. There also are concerns about the safety of Chinese factories and the long-term stability of trade between China, and U.S. European industry experts voice similar national-security concerns. (Click here for more )
“Chinese Medicines: Rx For Trouble?”
Orlando Sentinel/McClatchy (U.S.) (12/30/07)
Plaintiffs Accept Draft Bill To Settle Hepatitis C Suits (Japan)
Plaintiffs suing the Japanese government and makers of tainted blood products accepted the terms of a draft bill to provide blanket relief to relatives or patients who contracted hepatitis C. The party coalition that rules Japan’s Diet drafted the legislation at the urging of the prime minister, and plaintiff acceptance is seen as improving chances for settlement of the suits. Among the draft’s provisions is one requiring drug makers of the products to contribute to a $179 billion fund in the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency to cover benefits and other payments to patients whose conditions continue to worsen. The proposal is to be presented to the Diet Jan. 7. (Click here for more )
“Hepatitis Plaintiffs, State Come To Terms”
Japan Times (12/29/07)
Japanese Inspection Finds More Tainted Blood Products (Japan)
Another tainted blood product has been discovered in Japan, this one extending back to the 1970s and children exposed while being treated for measles and other common diseases. The hepatitis C virus was discovered in samples of immunoglobulin preparations produced in 1977 by Green Cross, which became part of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma. Two samples stored since then were found to contain the virus. The supply was never tested for the disease in Japan until 1989, when the preparations were used to prevent coronary artery aneurysm in children with Kawasaki disease. (Click here for more )
“More Blood Products Tainted”
Asahi Shimbun (Japan) (12/29/07)
U.S. FDA Warns Of Chinese Supplements Containing Viagra (China)
Chinese-made sexual-enhancement supplements contain sidenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Pfizer‘s Viagra, the U.S. FDA warns. The agency warned people to avoid supplements sold under various versions of “Shangai,” because they either contain the ingredient or a compound that mimics it. Since it is illegal for the supplements to contain the drugs, the FDA warned the safety and purity of the supplements are suspect. The supplements are packaged and distributed by Shangai Distributor of Puerto Rico. (Click here for more )
“Viagra Ingredient In Chinese Supplements”
Breitbart/AP (U.S.) (12/29/07)
Japan’s Eisai Says It Still Has Patent Protection For Aricept Despite Court Action (Japan)
Japan’s Eisai says a U.S. district court ruling will have no impact on the validity of its patent for Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) for treating Alzheimer’s disease. The court in New Jersey threw out Eisai’s suit against Mutual Pharmaceutical for seeking U.S. FDA approval for an Aricept generic. Eisai said the ruling was based on procedural grounds and it is still free to sue Mutual to defend a patent not set to expire until 2010. (Click here for more – may require a subscription )
“Eisai Says Aricept Patent Is Still Intact”
Wall Street Journal (U.S.) (12/28/07)
Indian Pharmas Look To Herbal Medicines As Huge Potential (India)
India’s $1 billion herbal medicine industry is expected to grow by as much as 15 percent a year as pharmaceutical companies see its potential. Much of the interest is in Western countries, with Indians slow to rely on the alternative drugs. Prescription herbal medicine accounts for only 30 percent of the market for Indian companies, with the other 70 percent over-the-counter products. Prescription herbal medicine generally lack clinical-trial data, with those backed by accepted research selling the best in India, which is one of the largest producers of medicinal herbs. One drug company executive said many pharmaceutical companies see herbal health care as having huge potential. (Click here for more )
“Herbal Medicine Sector To Grow 12-15 Percent A Year”
Business Standard (India) (12/27/07)
