Sharp slowdown for licensing agreements signed between pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to 'join forces' to optimize their business: agreements in the sector dropped by 18% in 2011 due to the cut in spending on research and development by the industries and in the drive to rationalize these activities.
This was revealed by a report by the advisory company PharmaVentures. From a thorough review of its database, which contains details of more than 43,000 pharmaceutical deals concluded, the company is able to state that licensing deals are in significant decline.
Conversely, mergers and acquisitions grew by 30% in 2011. In terms of therapeutic area, the research reveals that collaborative agreements in oncology continue to dominate the landscape, with Roche 'crowned' the most prolific company under this point of view.
It is also noted that emerging markets remain at the top of the partnership list, particularly India and China. Fintan Walton, chief executive officer of PharmaVentures, notes that the sector is undergoing "a rapid transformation, driven mainly by the decline in R&D productivity and the loss of patents of important drugs. However, there are still significant opportunities to strike good deals".
Barbara Di Chiara – January 30, 2012 – PharmaKronos
