Comments
British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, which had acquired US-based Human Genome Sciences for $3.6 billion including about $600 million in cash and debt in July, may have won its battle to buy the biopharmaceutical major, but a bigger war is being waged to bring biotech drugs closer to market.
The US Food and Drug Administration approved Benlysta for the treatment of systemic lupus last year, the first new approved drug for the ailment in more than 50 years. Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disorder that affects the joints, kidneys, brain and other organs. An estimated 1.6 million people in the world have lupus.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) gained full control of lupus drug Benlysta after acquiring Human Genome Sciences (HGS). Last year, Benlysta generated $52.3 million in product sales, and $31.2 million in revenue in the first quarter of this year.
Former CEO of HGS Tom Watkins, who was in the city to address participants at the BIO International Conference, said the company was testing Benlysta for its ability to treat vasculitis, as well as active lupus nephritis. Though it has been more than a decade since the completion of the Human Genome Project, and scientists learned there are three billion base pairs that make up the DNA, researchers are still struggling to understand and find cures for the disease. Protein-based biological drugs are meant to steer the revolution in personalised medicine.
Watkins, an Abbott Laboratories veteran, was elected chairman of the Biotechnology Industry Organisation, the biggest life science trade group in the US, last year. He said personalised drugs would considerably cut down care costs.
Diabetes, heart drugs
Speaking about diabetes drug Albiglutide, which was created by HGS using a proprietary albumin-based technology, Watkins said GSK would seek regulatory approval of its diabetes medicine early next year, since the drug scored heavily in a trial reducing blood sugar levels.
Another heart drug Darapladib, aimed against inflammation in the arteries that lead to heart attacks and strokes, has also been acquired by GSK. The heart drug would be helpful to GSK as its older heart drugs Coreg and Arixtra, face severe generic competition.
Watkins added that though managed-care companies would pay for any new drug, they would drag their feet in setting up reimbursement for new, expensive biologic drugs. “One has to figure out a low-risk, low-cost way to go to the next level,” he added.
>Amritanair.ghaswalla@thehindu.co.in
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.