Antibody sales growing fastest

Looking for pharma growth? Here it is--in monoclonal antibodies. A new Datamonitor report projects 14 percent annual growth in the market for the antibody drugs, which mimic the body's own immune system. That's by far the fastest-growing segment of the industry.

It's easy to see why, when you recite a list of drugs that fall under this umbrella: Avastin, Herceptin, Remicade, Humira and Rituxan. Monoclonal antibodies sell at the rate of $20 billion annually; by 2009, Datamonitor predicts, that figure will be $34 billion. The only caveat? The "big five" drugs mentioned above will still account for most of the market--some 70 percent in 2012.

- check out the Datamonitor report for more

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