Why Wyeth's Talking Up Vaccines
Executive Summary
Given the near-term generic threats to over a third of its US drug revenues and two late-stage set-backs last year, Wyeth's vaccines business--basically the $3 billion-and-growing pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar--matters more than ever before. So, then, does eliminating an imminent competitive threat from GlaxoSmithKline, and a swift switch to follow-on Prevnar 13 in 2010. Indeed, vaccine chiefs at the other four big players-Sanofi-Aventis, Merck & Co. Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, and Novartis AG-are likely to become more prominent, too. Vaccines may still account for only a small minority of revenues at these Big Pharma, but most saw far healthier growth in their vaccines business in 2007 than in therapeutics. That's why Sanofi, according to recent media reports, is out looking for vaccine acquisitions.
You may also be interested in...
VBI Vaccines Acquires Epixis To Expand Immunotherapy Pipeline
The purchase of its French partner gives VBI a virus-like particle discovery platform to go alongside its thermostable vaccine portfolio.
Intercell's Pipeline Setbacks Force Strategic Rethink, Highlight Downside of Option-Based Deals
Two high-profile pipeline setbacks over the past six months have prompted a wholesale strategic rethink at Austria's Intercell AG, one of the few remaining publicly quoted vaccine companies in Europe.
Not-For-Profit Makes Business Sense, Too
Not-for-profit drug development and other charitable initiatives haven't had a hugely prominent role at Big Pharma in the past. But nowadays most Big Pharma can point to some sort of benevolent effort, and a few companies view such initiatives as more than just the right thing to do. They claim that not-for-profit R&D makes good business sense, too.