The expected off-patent apocalypse has brought increased interest to new drug-delivery methods as Big Pharma looks for ways to retain profits. According to Australia's Stirling Products, in the five-year period to 2012, more than 36 major drugs will have come off patent, lowering sales by around $67 billion in the U.S. alone, and more than double that amount around the world.
Stirling is one of many companies offering alternative delivery technologies to meds going off patent. What Stirling offers is its high density aerosol technology, which promises to provide the same efficacy as drugs taken orally, but with far less active drug content, according to the company. That, the company adds, means fewer side effects.
According to a recent report in in-PharmaTechnologist, Big Pharma is biting. The publication is reporting that early last month, "three of the world’s largest industry companies" expressed interest in using Stirling's platform to create inhalable formulations of their drugs.
Stirling has not named the companies, but says that discussions are ongoing.
- read the in-PharmaTechnologist report
- and take a look at Stirling’s drug delivery platform