Gurminder Marwaha

It was interesting to hear about the EU Commission conduct dawn raids on a number of pharmaceutical companies in mid-January as part of an investigation into possible anticompetitive behaviour, which could possibly be preventing new drugs and cheaper generics from entering the market. Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis, AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth, Sandoz and Teva confirmed they had been the target of the raids and were now cooperating with regulators — both in Europe and the US. 

More of this story is covered in the news section, but the timing (from a drug manufacturer's point of view) couldn't have come at a worse time. The number of drugs approved by FDA last year was the lowest since 1983 and many firms are running out of ideas on how to fill their emptying pipelines. The trend of buying companies that show some promise is set to continue; indeed, Teva only recently announced a deal to acquire biogenerics firm CoGenesys. 

   While falling prices across the globe have been partly to blame, R&D productivity has remained flat. According to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), annual R&D spending by the pharmaceutical industry increased 147%, to $60 billion, between 1993 and 2004. At the same time, the number of new drug applications to FDA grew by only 38%, and has generally declined since 1999. Moreover, only 32% of the NDAs were for new drugs. 

2008 is set to become a very important year for the industry. A possible recession in the US and a global credit crunch are going to be major factors in the amount of money available, and, as shareholders tighten their purse-strings, the pharmaceutical industry (which has traditionally been recession-proof) could find with even less money for R&D. 

Articles

A possible recession in the US and a global credit crunch are going to be major factors in the amount of money available as shareholders tighten their purse-strings.

Credit crunch bites R&D

Let me begin by wishing you all the best for the New Year. Most people return from the festive break with a renewed sense of vigour and fresh plans for the forthcoming year; 

There are a few initiatives that we'll be introducing during 2008, which I hope will add to your experience as a reader of PTE. First, you may have seen from the cover and the table of contents that it's a significant year for the magazine as we celebrate its 20

  Anniversary. To commemorate this, we'll be bringing you a special feature each month looking at a particular  technology/area and asking our experts to draw on its highlights from the last two decades — and challenging them to predict how they envisage that technology/area will develop in the next 20 years. They'll also tell us how they think the industry as a whole will shape up in the short- and long-term. Everyone has a different opinion and I hope this series of articles will inspire debate and dialogue. 

 We are in the process of relaunching the site so that it becomes your one-stop-shop as a source of information on all aspects of bio/pharmaceutical  development and  manufacturing. Features will include technical articles, white papers, case studies, jobs, product information, news, interactive webinars and podcasts, and much, much more. We'll let you know as soon as the new site goes live. 

Finally, in this issue, I would like to draw your attention to the important focus on the environment. I've actually touched on this subject in a recent piece of editorial, but as society becomes more aware of its impact on the climate and environment, it's important that we're not just talking and debating the subject, but actually demonstrating our commitment to changing processes and procedures. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and I hope the features in this month's  magazine provide you with examples of how others in the industry are playing their role in a greener future. As always, if you have any comments or suggestions about the magazine, website or just the industry in general, then drop me an email at 

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and I hope the features in this month's magazine provide you with examples of how others in the industry are playing their role in a greener future.

Happy Birthday

And so another year has passed; it seems that once you've reached the age of 30, your life accelerates at a very unnerving pace. Marriage, houses, kids ... they hit you all of a sudden and before you know it, you're reminiscing about your days at university — which of course, are now just a distant memory. 

Or are they? Because the older you get, the more important it is to continue with your education. Each year brings with it a new wave of graduates who are full of ideas and enthusiasm, have a great portfolio of skills and want to be sitting where you are. Ok, so you can't do anything about age and your experience is so much more invaluable, but what about ensuring that you have the widest range of skills available — after all, employers want to ensure they have the best people for the job and the phrase de jour is "transferable skills"; that is, being able to do more than one job. It's a tricky one, because most people have had enough of essays, revision and exams by the time they leave school/university, and you simply cannot predict how the job market will develop in the next 5–10 years. 

And you're not just competing with new graduates. Technology is moving at such a frenetic pace that it's not only mobile phones, cameras and computers that become obsolete within minutes of arriving on the shop shelves. Industry suppliers are always looking to develop their products and advanced technology invariably means robots and automation — which is normally the precursor to job cuts. 

So what can you do? Well, the advent of the internet has helped immeasurably. Thanks to the world of online you can access a multitude of distance learning courses, many of which are geared to professionals across all industries and won't impinge on your home life too much. You can take a course (from almost any institution in the world these days) and spread the time (and cost) over a number of years. You just need to ensure you're motivated enough to study at home and complete the course. 

There is no such thing as a job for life anymore, and the pharmaceutical industry isn't going to wait for anyone. Consumers want medicines cheaper and faster than ever before, and as more companies focus on biopharmaceutical production, it's imperative that you are able to offer a wide range of skills. I was talking to one of my editorial advisory board members recently and he suggested more people should look to do job swaps, at the very least in a similar or related field, but better still in an unrelated field that you have an interest in. So, make it your New Year's resolution to learn more and you might just remember how your school days were the best of your life. 

And so another year has passed; it seems that once you've reached the age of 30, your life accelerates at a very unnerving pace. Marriage, houses, kids ... they hit you all of a sudden and before you know it, you're reminiscing about your days at university - which of course, are now just a distant memory.

Learning Curve

Unless you've had your head buried in the sand for last 10 years, you'll know that there is a dearth of blockbuster drugs in the pipeline. But many manufacturers are now switching their attention to so called lifestyle drugs as they seek to cash in on "behavioural" disorders. In today's competitive market, there are enough people in developed countries willing to pay a premium price for such treatments, but is it really doing the patients any good? Well in some cases, no. 

Take, for example, statins. These form a class of hypolipidemic agents, used as pharmaceutical agents to lower cholesterol levels in people with, or at risk of, cardiovascular disease. Of course, your medical practioner should encourage a cholesterol-lowering diet and increased exercise before proceeding with a course of statins. 

And herein lies the crux of the problem, because along with global warming and taxes, one thing is certain — people in the western world are getting fat. Not just "a little more around the middle", but dangerously obese. Today's lifestyle does little to promote eating healthy and exercising, and does plenty to advocate junk food, ready meals, video games and other things associated with the couch potato culture. Perhaps drug manufacturers have been too effective, because now you can simply pop an over-the-counter pill from the comfort of your sofa, which will lower your cholesterol within a week of treatment. Some people claim the statins are so effective and that their cholesterol has dropped to a point where they can  "supersize" their burger and chips every time they visit a fast food outlet.  

The danger is, of course, that you are doing yourself more harm than good by taking such medication while continuing to eat badly and not exercise. Perhaps manufacturers and doctors need to highlight the associated behavioural issues more when promoting their particular brand of lifestyle drug. Then again, have we reached the point where people would rather take a tablet than go for a jog and eat a balanced diet? A survey by the British Heart Foundation (

) only reinforces the message that many of us do little or no exercise. Maybe we need a pill that encourages us to get off our backsides? 

Some people claim the statins are so effective and that their cholesterol has dropped to a point where they can "supersize" their burger and chips every time they visit a fast food outlet

Couch potato drugs

My job has many good points and just the occasional bad one. Overall though, the best part has to be the networking. I'm appreciative that as an Editor I get the opportunity to meet so many different people in all areas of the pharmaceutical industry, including lab technicians, product managers, senior scientists, CEOs and politicians — not to mention all the press and PR agencies.  

Now, while it's easier to maintain these relationships by e-mail (and like most people I do this every day), I prefer getting out and meeting people in person — for me, that's the key to building successful networks and friendships. But, it has to be done in the right way; for example, during my first CPhI 4 years ago in Paris, I would try to blitz my way through the exhibition, walking onto as many stands as possible, thrusting business cards into strangers' faces and thinking that everybody would send me an e-mail the minute they got back into the office. How wrong I was and how quickly I learned. 

   This year's CPhI expo (ironically back in Paris) was a much better experience as I once more blitzed through the halls, but this time it was all about renewing acquaintances, catching up with people I hadn't seen since the last CPhI, meetings over a coffee and croissant, and catching up on all the 'off the record' industry gossip. I still met my fair share of new contacts, but unlike previous years, I now understand that the process of developing a meaningful business relationship from that initial meeting will take time. Of course, there's no upper or lower limit as to how long it will take, but what I do know is that the foundation will be one of trust and understanding, which will only develop from meeting in person. 

Personally, I find that while e-mail is quick and convenient, it's too easy to hide behind (particularly when you're too scared to say something in person) and, ultimately, faceless. Speaking from experience, I believe it's simply a very lazy way to do business. My advice? Be constructive and get out there, network at industry events and be seen; but most of all, just make the effort to meet new and existing contacts in person — it's much more rewarding.  

While e-mail is quick and convenient, it's too easy to hide behind and, ultimately, faceless.

Faceless meetings

It's been a while since I last wrote my last editor's comment — a combination, during the last few months, of attending a variety of industry events (as the conference and exhibition season peaked before the summer) and being on holiday. I apologize for the poor excuses, but it's certainly better than saying the dog ate my homework. 

I'd like to thank all those who participated in our annual readership survey a couple of months ago; your input and feedback is essential in helping us maintain 

) as the authoritative voice of the pharmaceutical industry. It's rewarding to know that we are providing the right balance of editorial and your comments will help us shape the magazine in 2007. Next year will see increased coverage of outsourcing and biopharmaceuticals — two key areas in this industry and, judging by your comments, ones that should be encompassed within 

. And I must not forget to congratulate Nigel Miller of sanofi-aventis, who wins a Sony PSP for being picked out in the survey prize draw. 

    Already we're into September and it means there's only a few weeks to go until the CPhI expo in Paris. The show will see us launch our new electronic magazine, 

 — a fully interactive digital publication that will offer a global insight with market analysis, showcase the latest industry trends, and offer commentary and opinions from leading people in the sector. And because it's available online in both live and downloadable easy-to-read formats, you'll always be able to keep up-to-date with what's happening in the industry at a time that suits you. If you'd like to contribute to this exciting reading experience, then just drop me an email at the address below. 

We'll be sending out more information in due course, but if you would like to see 

 in action, then drop by our stand at CPhI (Hall 5, Stand 5M39), where we'll have the launch issue set up and ready for you to view. We look forward to seeing you in Paris. 

It's been a while since I last wrote my last editor's comment - a combination, during the last few months, of attending a variety of industry events (as the conference and exhibition season peaked before the summer) and being on holiday. I apologize for the poor excuses, but it's certainly better than saying the dog ate my homework.