This article from the PharmaTech Talk blog comes to us from this year's Informex meeting in Charlotte, NC. It summarizes the pressures faced by US small molecule API manufacturers in a rapidly competitive and shifting environment.
PharmTech Talk » Informex 2011: Tracking the Fortunes of Chemically Synthesized APIs.
The gist? Big Pharma is increasingly consolidating its vendor base. It is looking to outsource more of its operations to gain flexibility. It is looking to both cut costs and to access emerging markets -- and can do so in one fell swoop by establishing more relationships with manufacturers in places like India and China.
Couple this with the issues Big Pharma is having with its dwindling pipeline, patent cliffs and recognition that large molecules, rather than small , are the more vigorous growth engines of the future -- you have a strong movement toward non-US API manufacturers.
Again, this is another reason, the US goverment needs to get behind our biotech industry to maintain its growth and prosperity so we can further develop a sustainable leadership position. There are not that many industries where we still have clear leadership and it would be a monstrous mistake to let this one go too.
Posted by Bruce Lehr Feb 8th 2011.
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