The Big Red Biotech Blog

GPA Says Generics Saved Consumers Millions and Millions

A new report from IMS Health that is being touted by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPA) claims that generic drugs saved US consumers more than $193 M in 2011 and more than $1 TRILLION over the last 10 years.

Generics Saved Consumers How Much Money? // Pharmalot.

Some more fun facts as to how generic drugs fared in the US over the past year:

• Savings from generics rose by 22% the most in a single year since 1998
• Savings from generics that hit the market since 2002 were $481 M in past 10 years
• Nearly 80% of the 4 billion prescriptions written last year were for generics
• BUT, the 20% of prescriptions for non-generics accounted for 73% of total cost of drugs

The surge in generics prescriptions was attributed to the increase in drugs coming off patent, such as Zyprexa (antipsychotic), Lipitor (cholesterol), and Concerta (ADHD).  IMS forecasts that generic utilization will reach 87% by 2015. 

Posted by Bruce Lehr Aug 2nd 2012.

New Pharma Facility News

A few tidbits on the wires yesterday about new pharma facilities.  Firstly, GE and iBio announced they are designing a new plant-cell based vaccine facility for a client pharma company. The identity of the client was not disclosed. However, iBio's own SEC filing shows that Brazil's Fiocruz/Bio-Manguinhosin is the only company who has a license at present to use iBio's plant cell based platform for vaccine work.

The iBioLaunch platform is touted by its promoters to have the potential to manufacture proteins that cannot be made in other systems, and could also significantly reduce the capital and operating costs associated with biotherapeutic production.

GE and iBio designing plant-cell based vaccine facility.

CMC announced that it will be buying Xoma's manufacturing facility in Berkeley, CA. The facility has 31,000 sq ft of space and 3 x 2750 L bioreactors.  CMC also has facilities in Denmark and Bothell, WA (acquired from Icos) to serve the biopharm industry. A CMC spokesman said that acquisition of a new facility in the Bay area was a big plus as many new start up companies are there in need of manufacturing help. The new facility doubles CMC's US capacity. See Xconomy.

Covidien has officially cut the ribbon on its new $45 million R&D facility in Shanghai, where it plans to employ more than 300 in new research efforts.  Covidien is just one of the latest western companies to open a new facility in China.

"China is a key market in our global strategy, and this investment is a reflection of our strategic initiatives," said Covidien CEO José E. Almeida in a statement. And Covidien--a device and pharma developer--boasted that the operation covers more than 100,000 square feet with 17 labs and surgical and simulation suites.  See Fierce Biotech.

Posted by Bruce Lehr Aug 2nd 2012.