While the industry still performs on a high level, growth prospects are not as they had been in the past.
Among the options available to the pharma companies, partnerships and strategic alliances seem to have the potential to open the doors for synergic collaborations to create win-win situations in the long-run.
What needs to be done to improve or change the R&D productivity of the pharmaceutical industry? Is biotech consolidation the answer, and if not, what is?
Due to emerging factors such as escalating financial risks, lack of new blockbuster drugs and evolving global capabilities, the time is right for US biotechnology firms and Indian pharmaceutical companies to join forces in the pre-commercial phases of drug research and development.
Multinational pharmaceutical companies are rushing to China with an aim to access the low-cost scientific talent and also claim a stake in Asia's largest pharmaceutical market. But the Chinese business climate is far from what one normally encounters in the West.
Pharmaceutical sales forces can overcome their challenges by learning how companies from other sectors have dealt with similar challenges.
Oncology is currently one of the most exciting but demanding areas for developing successful brand strategies. Companies entering smaller and niche markets in this area should clearly differentiate their products from competition to command and sustain a premium price.
While generics continue to drive the Indian pharmaceutical industry, it is set for rapid growth in its new avatar as a supplier of finished dosage forms to the world. However, challenges abound.
Asian biotechnology companies' lack of experience in pharmaceutical alliances can be quickly overcome by deliberate preparation, careful identification of potential partners and anticipation of the due diligence process of partnering.
Sustained economic growth and tremendous unmet needs in important therapeutic areas in China are creating huge potential for the industry but the ability to adapt successful practices to the nuances of the local market will be critical.
The Institute for OneWorld Health has
developed Paromomycin IM Injection to treat
visceral leishmaniasis in India. In the future,
similar models can be used to bring new drugs
to the people suffering from neglected diseases
in the developing countries.
Success in Asia will depend upon the ability of marketers to navigate the local environment with globally developed products.
Companies preparing for the implementation of pharmacoeconomic guidelines in Asia have an opportunity to use those resources for purposes other than justifying government reimbursement.
The pharmaceutical industry needs to revisit its ‘doctorheavy’ marketing strategies to succeed in this continent.
Our strategy is based on our belief that Indian scientists can become creators of intellectual property rather than be copiers.
In the next five years, Indian pharma will do well in terms of gaining a fair understanding and being able to further evolve the drug discovery environment in India.
India is on the threshold of drug discovery research where the next few years are going to be the most critical.
The pharmaceutical industry needs to revisit its ‘doctorheavy’ marketing strategies to succeed in this continent.
Should it be impossible to exclude the issue of intellectual property from a bilateral negotiation with the USTR, much care should be taken in setting the terms of negotiation.
In the coming years, China will become an important player in local and global healthcare, from both provider and utilisation perspectives.
US patent laws enable a patent holder to obtain damages as a result of the use of a non-infringing product that is exported from the USA and used in another country as part of a US patented process.
Pharmacoeconomic guidelines have now been developed in Korea and it is likely that pharmacoeconomic evaluations will increasingly influence drug funding across the region over the coming decade. Peter Davey discusses the potential implications.
With China on target to join the world's leading pharmaceutical markets in the near future, Ray Hil highlights the factors that challenge success in this market, and the opportunities for pharmaceutical companies that tailor their sales and marketing effectively.
The emerging markets - Central and Eastern Europe, India and China - are attracting increasing attention both as future markets and as sources for R&D. Of these, China is the one that appears to be pharma's greatest opportunity for growth.
The global pharma industry is increasingly outsourcing its production processes to service providers in developing countries. China is a major target due to its lower cost structure. William Xia Guo explains how his company aims to become one of the leading providers of drug development outsourcing services.
It is widely believed that Asia offers the strongest prospects for pharma growth. Stephen Phua of IMS Asia and Ted Saeki of IMS explain how and why the major markets in the region are expanding at such a rapid rate.
With trailblazers India and China leading the way, Asia is the hot pick for bulk manufacturing and, increasingly, clinical trials and R&D. Jim Banks looks at the competition for market share and the race to find the best regional and international partnerships.
China's accession to the WTO in December 2001 has resulted in more transparent regulation of its pharma industry, a gradual opening up of markets, more enforcement of IP rights and greater opportunities for outsourcing.
With all eyes firmly focused on pharma growth in Asia Pacific, Shailesh Gadre and Yehong Zhang, IMS's vice president of Greater China, review current performance across the various markets and consider the emerging opportunities.
Investors are watching the evolution of India's pharmaceutical industry with great interest. Rising standards and a developing regulatory infrastructure are creating new opportunities, while the well-established bulk manufacturing market is benefiting from more investment in R&D and clinical trials.
As interest in Asia Pacific increases, CRO offshoring is beginning to make an impact in the region. Alan Davies and Janet Jones of Kendle International explore the various options.
Reliance Clinical Research Services is a full-service contract clinical research organisation. Its range of services include project management, protocol design, clinical trial supplies management, clinical operations, molecular diagnostic central lab services, biometrics, training, translations, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, pharmacovigilance and medical writing.
Western companies opting to work with partners in Asia rather than setting up their own operations there are finding a better choice of service provider, but the China vs India debate rumbles on.