Plavix generics near OK in Europe

European regulators gave a boost to generics makers seeking to sell their copycat versions of the Plavix bloodthinner. At its May meeting, the Committee for Human Medicinal Products recommended that six Plavix generics (a.k.a. clopidogrel) be given the EMEA thumbs-up. Four of them are made by the Swiss company Acino, and the other two are manufactured by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Pharmathen, respectively.

But what's good for the generics makers isn't good for Plavix marketers Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis. And as Jim Edward at BNet points out, Sanofi may well be the first in suffering. Bristol counts just $169 million in first-quarter Plavix revenues from outside the U.S. Sanofi, however, boasted some $634 million in Plavix sales in Europe.

So Sanofi has more to lose to those six potential generics competitors than Bristol does. Of course, Bristol stands to lose lots more on the U.S. generic versions working their way toward the market, but that's another story.

- read the Pharma Times story
- see the BNet post

ALSO: The CHMP handed out other recommendations, including a lift on restrictions for UCB's Neupro, a transdermal patch for Parkinson's disease and restless leg syndrome; a "yes" for Novartis' new kidney cancer treatment Afinitor; and another "yes" for Genzyme's Mozobil reatment for blood cancers. Report

Related Articles:
Appeals court backs Plavix patent
Plavix copycat pops up in Europe
Bristol profits leap on Plavix sales
Generic Plavix grabs big market share