Will new drugs become cheaper?

Agreement of the largest pharmaceutical companies can reduce the cost of research

ABC Magazine based on PR Newswire: Ten Pharmaceutical Companies Unite to Accelerate Development of New Medicines10 of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies have signed an agreement that can change the situation with clinical trials.

TransCelerate Biopharma, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization, will include GlaxoSmith Kline, Pfizer, Johnson&Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Abbott Laboratories, Astra Zeneca, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim and Genentech (a division of The Roche Group). Initial efforts will be focused on the following projects: development of a common user interface for research portals; mutual recognition of the qualifications and training of research center personnel; development of risk-based approaches to monitoring; development of clinical data standards; creation of a supply model for so-called "control" drugs.

Each of the companies will contribute in the form of funding and labor of research staff. Although only 10 firms signed the initial agreement, membership is open to any pharmacological and biotechnology companies. Currently, the cycle of drug development from the early stages to approval and commercialization can cost billions of dollars. A standardized reduction in the development process would have huge implications for the cost of research, investor decisions and, in fact, the price of drugs. The companies will work with the most important regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency.

"I think it's great. They (the companies) are going to concentrate on standardizing the clinical research process. Probably, in the long term, it is especially important that the data collection process can move towards greater standardization: it will become easier to share data, combine results and make discoveries," Glen Giovanetti, head of Ernst&Young Lifesciences, commented on the news.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru02.10.2012