A recent report on the cost of bringing an asset from discovery to the market place has increased significantly for pharmaceutical companies over the last four years but returns on their investments have not kept pace. This state-of-affairs has caused these firms to adjust their business plans accordingly.
There is no doubt that ongoing research in nanotechnology is finally opening the door to potential new therapeutic applications. Though the next phase in its evolution will see the translation of promising lab discoveries into the clinic, it’s all still in formative stages. But confidence is building that innovative medicines and companion diagnostics based on nanotech will soon expand treatment options for major diseases such as cancer and central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
The capital markets cooled off somewhat in November with the Nasdaq and Dow Jones Industrial averages both finishing with small gains of 2.5 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. The uncertain market conditions were also enough to halt the initial public offering (IPO) aspirations of several biotech companies who pulled their IPOs this month. Those included Celladon Corp., of San Diego, which has a heart failure compound Mydicar in Phase II trials; Globeimmune Inc., of Louisville, Colo.; Tetralogic Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa.; and Vital Therapies Inc., of San Diego.
The capital markets cooled off somewhat in November with the Nasdaq and Dow Jones Industrial averages both finishing with small gains of 2.5 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. The uncertain market conditions were also enough to halt the initial public offering (IPO) aspirations of several biotech companies who pulled their IPOs this month. Those included Celladon Corp., of San Diego, which has a heart failure compound Mydicar in Phase II trials; Globeimmune Inc., of Louisville, Colo.; Tetralogic Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa.; and Vital Therapies Inc., of San Diego.
There are currently no cures available for the devastating and progressive neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Progress is being made, however, thanks to genetic studies that have led to the identification of a number of genes that seem to be implicated in the disease. One interesting line of enquiry relates to the genetic concomitants of inflammation and ALS where research has uncovered that genes involved in the inflammatory process in ALS are selectively activated.
A newly released report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics predicts that the total spending on medicines next year will reach the $1 trillion milestone. That is a huge number but represents just single-digit growth from the $965 billion spent in 2012.
The BioWorld Emerging Biotech Index is our third market indicator and now joins the Blue Chip Index and Growth Index that were launched last week. This new metric will closely follow small-cap companies that have market caps averaging about $500 million. It is a diverse group, with some companies in the group following a business model that embraces innovation as well as in-licensing products that are market-ready. Many have lead products in early or mid-stage development.
Gene silencing is firmly back on the R&D radar screen in the fight to combat intractable disease after a hiatus of several years. Promising results from early clinical results have begun to attract investors into the space again with well over $200 million poured into this sector so far in 2013; and public companies developing RNA-based drugs have seen their share prices soar.
The FDA released its briefing documents in advance of the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee meeting Nov. 13. The committee will discuss the supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) injection, submitted by Genzyme Corp., a Sanofi SA company, for use in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Despite the fact that biotech companies developing biopharmaceuticals had a challenging month in October, with the 258 publicly listed companies tracked by the BioWorld Stock Report recording an average 7 percent drop in their share values, there is certainly no indication that the sector’s surge has stalled. In fact, despite predictions that biotech’s momentum has finally run out of steam, with less than two months to go until the end of the year biotech companies both large and small are still on target to post record-setting performances, a feat that has not been seen since 2000.
