Pfizer to expand presence in generic drugs marketing

Pfizer, which posted $48 billion in revenue last year, could see severe erosion in sales in the coming years from patent expirations on its products including that of its blockbuster Lipitor cholesterol treatment.

The company inked a major deal valued at $68 billion with US rival Wyeth to help shore up profits and has also restructured its operating model around separate units – such as established products including its generic drugs and emerging markets. (See: Pfizer-Wyeth create $68-billion blockbuster deal

Pharma companies are increasingly turning their attention towards developing countries as the going gets tough for them in more established markets.

Without disclosing financial terms, Pfizer yesterday announced deals with Aurobindo Pharma Ltd and Claris Lifesciences Ltd that would help it substantially increase its offerings in medicines that have lost patent protection in markets around the world, a fortnight after it filed patent infringement suits against Aurbindo and other Indian generics producers to block them from marketing generic equivalents to its blockbuster pain management drug, Lyrica in US.

US rules for the sale of generic drugs, after the expiry of patent protection to the original manufacturer, allow the first-to-file to challenge the patent of the innovator drug 180 days of marketing exclusivity following the patent expiry. The innovator has to sue the generic company within 45 days of the challenge to get a 30-month stay on final marketing approval.

Other companies against which Pfizer has initiated action include Teva, Sandoz, Actavis, Cobalt Laboratories, Alphapharm Pty Ltd for Lyrica patent violations in US.