Like so many other big drug developers, GlaxoSmithKline has announced that it will be shaking up its R&D operations. The goal? To create new drugs faster and cheaper. Speaking to the Financial Times, Moncef Slaoui--GSK's R&D chief--also said that within a few years time, about half of the company's new drugs will come from outside partners [1] rather than from internal development efforts.
Previously, GSK reorganized its R&D activities into Centres of Excellence for Drug Discovery, which were designed to be more entrepreneurial and nimble than Big Pharma. Many other developers have since copied the move [2]. So what's next for GSK? "Mr. Slaoui...stressed that the company would increasingly focus on four therapeutic areas: oncology, vaccines, biological medicines and neuroscience."
- see this Financial Times article [3]
ALSO: Take a look at GSK's pipeline. Report [4]
PLUS: An independent study of 159,000 older people with diabetes found that patients treated with GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia and Takeda Pharmaceuticals' Actos had a higher risk of heart attack and death. Report [5]
Related Articles:
GSK plant closure begins 5,000 job cuts. Report [6]
Behind the scenes of GSK's overhaul. Report [7]
Musical chairs at GSK leaves Stout out. Report [8]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/lines-blur-as-big-pharma-crosses-borders-into-biotech/2007-05-30?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss
[2] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/look-inside-pfizers-biotech-center/2007-11-09?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal
[3] http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/24db432a-a857-11dc-9485-0000779fd2ac.html
[4] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-reports/3-glaxosmithkline-top-15-r-d-budgets
[5] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/jama-actos-avandia-risky-65-plus/2007-12-12
[6] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/gsk-plant-closure-begins-5000-job-cuts/2007-10-25?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=link
[7] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/behind-scenes-gsks-overhaul/2007-10-29
[8] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/musical-chairs-gsk-leaves-stout-out/2007-12-07