Despite Concerns, Few Side Effects from Vaccines

As Kalorama has detailed in its market research reports,  resistance to vaccination is increasing, and this is a problem that pharmaceutical marketers and governments need to address.  The reason for the trend is fears about side effects, often promoted by organizations and websites of questionable authority.   The reality is that vaccines cause few side effects, especially considering the amount vaccinated, though proponents could do a better job getting that side of the story out.    The costs and consequences of not vaccinating populations, particularly children and the elderly, are great.  As our report indicates, vaccines may be victims of their own success allowing people to focus on cure instead of disease. 

Now some information that might help arm the pro-vaccine side.  The Institute of Medicine has conducted a complete survey of almost 1,000 research studies and concluded that vaccines are tied to very few and usually mild side effects. The expert panel examined 8 common vaccines: MMR, DTaP, varicella for chickenpox, influenza, hepatitis B, meningococcal, tetanus-containing vaccines and the HPV vaccine. 

The IOM determined the vaccines weren't tied to an increased risk of autism or Type 1 diabetes. Side effects did include high fevers, allergic reaction and seizures, but in most cases they subsided quickly.  

 

Small Players Like Chapel Hill Based Cempra: Solution for HAI Dearth?

 Given the difficulties Big Pharma is having with HAI treatments, as detailed in our Free White Paper,in terms of earning consistent revenue before their effectiveness and patents wear out, it may well be the small innovator companies that develop solutions.  This article covers Cempra's recent successful capital round for related to its drug TAKSTA, an oral medication designed to treat severely infected MRSA patients who require an oral formulation.  IV-intolerant patients may be candidates for their product. 

http://www.medcitynews.com/2011/08/antibacterials-pharma-cempra-raises-5m-lead-compound-targets-mrsa/?edition=pharmaceuticals

Trouble for SurModics Not Impacting Its IVD Lines

Bad news for SurModics: as this Twin Cities Business News article details, the company is suffering from difficulties from its medical device business, particularly their stent coatings.  The company will cut its staff by 9%.

 This is a critical transition for SurModics to implement the components of our strategic plan that focus and position our business for maximum long-term success,” President and CEO Gary Maharaj said in a statement. “Importantly, we expect to maintain our commitment to R&D investment to drive growth opportunities in our core medical device and in vitro diagnostics businesses.

But we note that the negative impact is largely in the device business.  We can expect based on their statement that Sur Modics will focus on an industry where it remains competitive -such as its IVD area, particularly its protein and array slide products.

White Paper on HAI: A Big Problem, Why Not A Big Business?

Nosocomial, or healthcare treatment-acquired infections (broadly labeled as 'hospital-acquired infections") are a growing problem. So why haven't they been a great business for pharmaceutical companies?  Why are declines expected in sales this year?

 Hospital Acquired Infections are a serious concern of healthcare and they should be a major concern of pharmaceutical drug development.  However only a fraction of new drugs that have been approved are treating this scourge.  At the same time, a number of key brands are declining in sales.  This White Paper looks into the situation in 2009, what might happen in next few years, and the one exception to the trend that might point in a new direction for HAI treatments.
 
Download Free White Paper on HAI Treatments

Interesting take on Jobs resignation..

Interesting Article at 'Market Research Beat' on Steve Jobs.  We share the opinion that his was a rare success of someone who eschewed market research.  At Kalorama we've seen business executives in the healthcare industries make acquisitions, launch new products, or quash unprofitable products and divisions based on our secondary and primary research reports.

New FISH test for Abbott

Cytology was once a low-attention area of IVD.  This is no longer the case.  FISH testing is one of the fastest growing categories in  in vitro diagnostics.  Kalorama has observed this trend over the past decade.  Abbott has remained competitive here, but new types of testing products will be the important determinant of future growth.  Today's news finds an example of an approval of an Abbott leukemia probe kit.

FDA Clears Genetic FISH Panel

Will China Capture the IVD Market?

As noted in Red Sky Health, the considerable Chinese presence at the AACC’s LabExpo 2011 (some 55 companies) has some companies questioning if Chinese IVD companies will take over the IVD industry in the same manner that the “Made in China” label pervades consumer products? Yes and no according to our analyst Shara Rosen.

http://redskyhealth.tumblr.com/

Global markets are highly competitive, Chinese companies are relatively new exporters especially compared to its BRIC companion India. Also China’s domestic market may become extremely more lucrative and attractive for home made products.

In 2011, China will enter its 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015). The development goals, directions and industry strategies emphasize the need to fix the perception of China as a comparatively backward nation in technological terms. The government is also cognizant of the huge economic disparities and has turned its attention to increasing its people's prosperity. It plans to do this by placing far greater emphasis on internal markets and domestic demand than ever before. In the healthcare sector, the most obvious strategy is to encourage local companies to take advantage of the country's huge domestic market, which amounts to some 60,000 – 80,000 potential lab customers.

The 12th Five-Year Plan also sets out seven major new strategic industries (healthcare and biotechnology included), for which investment is projected to reach 10 trillion Chinese Yuan over the next five years. The result is expected to be an unprecedented effort to support domestic companies.

The Plan’s strategy in relation to medical devices and IVD products purports to: increase the development of China-made medical equipment; to implement centralized procurement; and to purchase domestic medical devices.

On the demand side, China has announced initiatives to strengthen health services in the interior and rural regions and the thousands of low-tiered hospitals.
So yes, “Made in China” may become ubiquitous in some low-end IVD product segments, worldwide. However, it is more likely that it will take a monumental effort in quality improvement and especially competitive pricing strategies for Chinese companies to create a huge splash in the largest and most lucrative markets in developed countries.

http://www.kaloramainformation.com/Emerging-Vitro-Diagnostics-6196828/

3 days ago