In MS Market, Novartis Jockeys for Position

The situation: You plan to launch a novel drug in a therapeutic area, but your sales force has no experience in that therapeutic area. So how do you train your sales force before the drug launch?

Novartis's solution: Obtain approval to market a well-known drug in that therapeutic area before you launch your novel drug.

So...

Today the FDA announced the approval of Novartis's copycat version of Betaseron (Bayer Schering), or subcutaneous interferon beta-1b, for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Novartis's right to market an identical interferon beta-1b product, trade named Extavia, comes by way of an intricate manufacturing deal with Bayer Schering that began 2 years ago.

And all of this maneuvering by Novartis is apparently in anticipation of its launch of fingolimod, a novel oral agent with positive phase 3 clinical data in RRMS. The new drug, also called FTY720, is in an approval horse race with oral cladribine (Merck Serono) for the same indication. Notably, in the United States, Merck Serono has been marketing its own version of interferon beta-1a (Rebif) for RRMS since 2002.

N.B. Novartis does have experience in the neurology market with existing products for Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and epilepsy.

HT: WSJ Health Blog