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Article: With blockbuster products coming off patent, will Big Pharma embrace its orphans?
- Article from:
- Pharma Marketletter
- Article date:
- December 1, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Marketletter Publications Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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While the majority of big pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have traditionally depended on blockbuster molecules, it is estimated that $90.0 billion worth of prescription molecules will come off patent during 2007-2012. The industry is therefore considering "niche busters" - orphan drugs that tackle rare diseases - as potential sources of revenue.
Orphan drugs are intended for the prevention and treatment of very serious rare diseases such as chronic myeloid leukemia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, Gaucher disease and adrenal cortical carcinoma. Market research firm Frost & Sullivan (http://www.pharma. frost.com) estimates that the current global ...