Posted on February 12, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Filed under: Acquisitions | Growth Strategy | Trends
Tagged: biosimilar , follow-on drugs , johnson & johnson , Merck & Co. , William Weldon

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Chalk up another 2009 pharma deal following Pfizer Inc.'s trend setting mega-acquisition of Wyeth. Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck & Co. is acquiring Insmed Inc.'s portfolio of follow-on biologic (or "biosimilar") drugs and its commercial manufacturing facilities in Boulder, Colo., for $130 million. Merck announced plans to enter the so-called biosimilar market in December, creating Merck BioVentures.

As explained in this science blog, biosimilar drugs are therapeutic biological products that are similar to generic versions of brand name drugs, but do not face the same scrutiny and regulation as generics -- to the dismay of many industry watchers. Also, they require significant investments as Johnson & Johnson CEO William Weldon said. J&J wants nothing to do with the market.

The drugs Merck is buying are to prevent infections in patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy and to reduce the frequency of such doses. As noted in that science blog, in the U.S. no official regulatory process yet exists for the federal approval of biosimilars. - Baz Hiralal


See the announcement from Insmed
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