The Changing Players and Supply Base for Generic Drugs

Shifting fundamentals in the innovator-drug market are helping to drive change in the generic-drug market. Despite strong opportunity presented in the near term by a wave of patent expirations, the generic-drug industry has its own set of challenges and opportunities. Generic-drug companies face increased competition not only within the sector, but from newer entrants, including from the pharmaceutical majors and emerging-market players. In response, generic-drug companies have been consolidating and partnering to build economies of scale, improve their access to emerging markets, and build their technological expertise in select sectors, such as follow-on biologics (FOBs). These issues also are influencing the composition and direction of the supply base of generic active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs) manufacturers.