According to a CMR International study, a Thomson Reuters business unit, new drugs launched within the last five years accounted for 7 percent of the industry sales of 2009, a 12.5 percent drop compared to 2008.

According to a IMS Health, researchers forecast global pharmaceutical sales will exceed $1.1 trillion dollars by 2014. The Brazil, China and the United States cases.

According to investment banks analysts, during these last days rumors are increasing for Japanese Astellas Pharma Inc. as a potential OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. bidder. As there are lack of interesting offers available.

According to a IMS Health study, the U.S. prescriptions drug market exceeded 300 billion dollars during 2009, it grew more than 5 percent, therefore reversing negative growth rates of 2007 and 2008. Details

In a note sent to clients, a harsh comment made by Hapoalim Securities analyst Jon LeCroy, stated that California based MannKind Corp. drug inhalable Afrezza (Insulin Human [rDNA Origin) will not be approved to treat Type I and II diabetes. Details

In a very interesting BioTrends Research Group Study, that survey US rheumatologists during this past May, revealed that the majority of them will include Simponi (Golimumab) in the next 180 days, in detriment of the other available drugs.

According to the January/February edition of The Journal Health Affairs, in 2007 U.S. health care spending growth slowed to its lowest rate since 1998, increasing 6.1 percent to $2.2 trillion, or $7,421 per person.

The Food and Drug Administration approved 24 new drugs in 2008, more than in any of the prior three years, the Wall Street Journal reports. The agency approved 18 drugs in 2007, 22 in 2006 and 20 in 2005.

Deutsche Bank most respected and experienced analyst on the pharmaceutical market, Barbara Ryan, forecasted that Pfizer Inc. is interested in acquiring biotechnology firm Amgen Inc. seeking to keep market leadership and at the same time gaining a strategic position within the biotechnology segment. Similar moves are expected by Roche Holding AG, Merck & Co and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Third biggest British drug maker, Shire Plc, said that one of the main goals on the long-term it’s to double their sales on biological drugs for rare diseases. Therefore, Shire aims to strongly compete against Genzyme and BioMarin.

After the preliminary release of positive results of study data on Pfizer/Boehringer Ingelheim´s respiratory drug Spiriva, some analysts are forecasting decreasing sales for GlaxoSmithKline´s top-selling drug Advair/Seretide, the treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the world´s second-placed blockbuster drug after Lipitor.

Many large pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars on marketing and advertising, which makes the difference between a drug becoming a blockbuster or not, according to some reporters combing Advertising Age magazine, TV, radio and Internet.

A survey has shown two cases of a deadly brain infection linked to the Tysabri multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment is not affecting Elan Corp´s sales of the drug, and Elan shares rose this week.

A study by market analyst Datamonitor estimated that monoclonal antibody (mAb) sales could reach around $ 49 billion dollars by 2013. Further details of the top-selling drugs forecast.

According to a report by Companies and Markets consulting company, global sales of generic products will increase an average 14 to 15 percent in 2008, higher than the last three years´ average. Further details.

The backlog of pending generic drug applications will top 1,500 this year and is expected to balloon even further unless the FDA receives more funding, a top agency official told Reuters. FDA reviewers are taking longer to clear applications