The WSJ Venture Capital Dispatch today discusses the strategy by a few biotech's to pursue bio-betters instead of biosimilars. Companies like Femta Pharmaceuticals, Itero Biopharmaceuticals and Polytherics Ltd are choosing to go after the bio-better targets in an effort to boost value and reduce risk. Even though bio-betters will require more extensive clinical trials, the thought is that the pursuit of a bio-better will occur in a proven therapeutic area and will therefore be less risky form of new drug development given the experience gained from the initial drugs licensed. By definition, the bio-better will have clear advantages over the original therapy (otherwise it would be a "me-too") - like enhanced safety, efficacy or better dosing convenience.
It remains to be seen how this strategy will work, but for now these 3 companies have venture capital investors who are willing to back their ideas.
Posted by Bruce Lehr August 11th 2010.
Bruce, interesting article, thanks for drawing it to our attention.
As far as I know, there’s no abbreviated regulatory route for bio-betters unlike biosimilars, so how do we actually know that they are better? Different, yes, but better?
This whole area is going to get a lot of attention in the near term future, certainly something to watch closely as it evolves.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 08/12/2010 at 03:20 PM