gogogoo schreef:
Europe's biotech sector to flourish in 2007
Monday , January 08, 2007
Analysts are predicting that 2007 will be a strong year for European biotech, which is forecast to outstrip the growth of the US sector, as it did last year.
Europe's biotech sector grew 45% in 2006, compared to 12% for its US counterpart, fuelled by a number of factors including major acquisitions such as Merck KGaA's purchase of Serono.
A major underlying reason for biotech's success last year was big pharma's need to bolster its pipelines, either through in-licensing products or buying biotech companies outright.
Two acquisitions illustrate the top pharma companies are willing to pay for biotech companies - AstraZeneca bought CAT for $2.2 billion at a 67% premium to its market capitalisation while Amgen paid $ 900 million for Abgenix, a 54% premium.
Analysts Credit Suisse say EU companies are now advanced in terms of their cash reserves and pipelines, whereas the US sector as a whole is now so mature (with giants such as Amgen and Genentech), growth will inevitably decelerate.
Meanwhile, 2007 will be a milestone year for four major EU biotech/specialist pharma products expected to eventually reach blockbuster status.
Actelion's Tracleer is expected to achieve annual sales of $1 billion in 2007, while UCB's Cimzia, Basilea's Ceftobiprole and Lundbeck's Gaboxadol are all expected to be filed during the year.
Credit Suisse say there are a number of biotech companies due to file products this year which have $250 million sales potential, but are still seeking partners to market the drugs in Europe or the US.
These include cancer drugs from Ark Therapeutics (Cerepro) and GPC Biotech (satraplatin), Jerini and its angiodema product icatibant and NicOx's osteoarthritis drug naproxcinod.
Biotech companies are expected to earn increasing sums through product deals struck with major pharma, as pressure grows on the industry leaders to keep their pipelines well stocked.
December saw a new record set in pharma biotech deals, with GSK signing a deal worth up to $2.1 billion with Genmab.
GSK has bought the rights to the Danish biotech companys HuMax-CD20, a fully human monoclonal antibody in late-stage development for positive B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The drug is also in phase II trials for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
The deal is also emphasises a growing trend for biotech companies to retain rights to co-market their drugs. Genmab will have option to co-promote HuMax-CD20 as well as GSK's other cancer drugs, Bexxar and Arranon in the US and Atriance in certain Nordic countries.
www.pharmafocus.com/cda/focusH/1,2109,21-0-0-JAN_2007-focus_news_detail-0-482715,00.html