Released on = June 19, 2006, 3:57 am

Press Release Author = La Merie Business Intelligence

Industry = Biotech

Press Release Summary = The US$ 32 bln market of six major protein products is
enfacing competition by less costly biogenerics and by improved products via drug
delivery or protein engineering technologies and even oral, small molecule solutions


Press Release Body = Barcelona, Spain | June 19, 2006 | The Business Intelligence
firm La Merie S.L. reported today that the US$ 32 bln market of major protein
products with commencing patent expiry is endangered by generic products and by
innovator solutions including engineered molecules and drug delivery solutions.
Examples are the first biogeneric somatotropin now approved in the US and the
European Union and Pfizer's inhaled insulin. Both examples mark the entry of new
players into the lucrative human growth hormone (hGH) and insulin markets. More hGH
biogeneric products including slow release formulations are approaching the US$ 2.3
bln market and lead to erosion and conversion from an innovator to a biogeneric
market. Although estimated price cuts of 25 to 30 % will be less than those for
small molecule generics, cost pressure in the health care markets will support
acceptance of biogeneric products. The US$ 11.2 bln erythropoietin market will face
tough competition by consolidated biogeneric manufacturers. Numerous drug delivery
solutions and protein engineering approaches are filling the pipelines with
interferon, G-CSF, insulin and FSH products. These results and more were found in a
search conducted by La Merie Business Intelligence. The competitor analysis can be
acquired at www.pipelinereview.com, La Merie's News Center and Online Store. More
information will be provided in the Biogenerics miniseries published in the FREE
daily R&D Newsletter of PipelineReview.com beginning June 19 .

The competitor analysis covers the field of eight product families: erythropoietin,
human growth hormone, interferon, insulin, G-CSF, follicle stimulating hormone,
thrombopoietin (TPO) agonists and thrombolytics. The pipeline evaluation includes
the market description of the first generation products and a compilation of next
generation projects, drug delivery solutions, protein engineering approaches, orally
available small molecules and biogeneric projects in Western countries as well as in
countries with insufficient patent protection.

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information visit www.lamerie.com.


Web Site = http://www.pipelinereview.com

Contact Details = Jorge Márquez
La Merie Business Intelligence
C/ Caspe, 33B, 4º, 2ª
E-08010 Barcelona
Tel +34-93-342 91 97
Fax +34-93-342 91 98
e-mail: jorge.marquez@lamerie.com
Website: http://www.lamerie.com
Online Store: www.pipelinereview.com