Product Review An up-to-date review of recent UK pharmaceutical product launches and new licences. |
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Novartis: Glivec - Philadelphia chromosome positive
myeloid leukaemia December and January have thus far been quiet months with regard to the new product launch market. The final quarter of last year coupled with the current economic climate and the scrutiny given to product launches by the FDA has meant that the market for new drugs has been left fairly static. However, we have seen an important product launch and new licensed indications come on board for a number of already established products.
Novartis' potential blockbuster Glivec/Imanitib has been launched for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome positive myeloid leukaemia. This product is a specialised product that promises to have an immediate impact on those patients that desperately need it and promises to be a lifesaver! We have also seen this month the already established treatment for Alzheimers disease; Exelon/Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor gains an addition to its range. A new formulation in the shape of an oral solution has been added making the drug much more tolerable for those patients that have difficulties swallowing tablets.
So as not to be left out Pfizer and MSD has been busy applying for new licenses to make their excellent products more available to a wider range of suffering patients. Pfizer's Lustral/Sertraline has been granted a paediatric license for 6-17 year olds for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
MSD's extremely successful launch of Vioxx/Rofecoxib has been followed up by the successful application of a license for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis. Vioxx was one of the most successful product launches that we have seen in terms of detailing, awareness and actual prescribing of the product.
The fieldforces selling Vioxx were able to achieve a 95% level of awareness of the Launch Essential GP panel to the product a year from the launch. Of that panel 65% had been detailed on Vioxx in the same time period. But one of the most astonishing figures to be thrown up by the Launch Essential database is that twelve months after the launch of Vioxx almost 65% of the GP's on the panel had actually prescribed the drug. This underlines how much of a demand has been filled by the introduction of Vioxx. With this much need for a product of this type it is little wonder that additional strengths and licenses have been added to the portfolio.
Pharmacia the company that produce Mirapexin/Pramipexole dihydrochloride monohydrate, now have the license to treat Parkinson's disease as monotherapy. Before this time the drug had to be used in combination with Levodopa. Many patients with Parkinson's disease need multiple medications to treat the different aspects of the disease. Mirapexin shows little interaction with other drugs, which makes it an important addition to the choice of treatment.
Also this month we have seen the launch of Alcon Laboratories Travatan/ Travoprost, this is a prostaglandin monologue to decrease elevated intraocular pressure in patients with active ocular hypertension. This drug promises to be instrumental for the treatment of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a leading course of irreversible blindness; this new product gives physicians an alternative treatment option to preserve eyesight and the quality of life of the patient. Although as mentioned the market is fairly quiet at the moment it looks as if there has been some significant progress into some debilitating therapy areas. |
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