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The number of biotechnology new active substances (NASs) launched
in 1999 was significantly down from the number launched in
1998, when a massive 31% of total NASs were biotechnology
drugs.
In 1999, only seven NASs were biotechnology drugs, accounting
for just 17% of NAS launches, according to IMS HEALTH's LifeCycle
service. They were:
- Lymerix (recombinant OspA), a Lyme disease vaccine
from SmithKline Beecham (January)
- Solinase (pamiteplase), a fibrinolytic from Yamanouchi
(February)
- Ontak (denileukin diftitox), a cytostatic from
Ligand (March)
- Insuman (human insulin), for diabetes, from Hoechst
Marion Roussel (April)
- Refacto (moroctocog alfa), a blood coagulation
agent from Wyeth (May)
- Stemgen (ancestim), a haematopoietic factor for
use in cancer patients receiving stem cell transplants,
from Amgen (November)
- Meningitec, a meningococcal vaccine from Wyeth
Ayerst (November)
42 New active substances were reported in 1999, including
seven (17%) biotech products. NASs totaled 45 in 1998, slightly
down on the 1997 total of 50. 14 of 1998's NASs were biotechnology
products, representing 31% of introductions.
This is a marked increase over 1997 and 1996 when 11%
and 16% respectively were biotechnology NASs - a decade earlier
there was only one. Biotechnology
is finally gaining ground, becoming an increasingly important
source of novel drugs, and more are about to be launched judging
by recent biotech approvals in the US.
Biotech drugs offer important breakthroughs
Many of these drugs represent important breakthroughs
in their areas:
- Centocor's (now Johnson & Johnson) Remicade (infliximab)
is the first new drug to be launched for Crohn's disease
in several decades. It is the only drug credited with
being able to reduce the number of fistulae in Crohn's
patients
- Isis Pharmaceuticals' Vitravene (fomivirsen),
the first antisense agent to reach the market, is indicated
for cytomegalovirus retinitis in AIDS patients
- Immunex's Enbrel (etanercept) offers promise
to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, and acts by clearing
up the excess tumour necrosis factor that promotes the
inflammation process in these patients.
07 Mar 2000, Copyright IMS HEALTH
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