Roche has tipped investors on all the key talking points ahead of today's pipeline review. In a statement released early today, Roche noted that it is positioned to launch six new therapies by the end of 2014 and wants to push beyond cancer therapies and into new arenas, such as metabolism, inflammation and the central nervous system. And it has the potential to add 35 new indications for currently-approved therapies over four years.
Roche's scientists believe that the pipeline currently includes 10 new molecules with the potential to emerge as a best-in-class therapy. And the company says that it can move 20 programs into late-stage trials by 2015.
Among its top prospects, Bloomberg highlights: Taspoglutide, a new GLP-1 drug for Type 2 diabetes; Aleglitazar, also for diabetes; The ‘good cholesterol' drug dalcetrapib and PLX4032 for melanoma. All are believed to have solid blockbuster potential.
While Roche's income from oncology drugs failed to live up to expectations recently, its near-term revenue is pinned on three key blockbusters: Avastin, MabThera and Herceptin. Analysts also credit Roche with being in a far better position than most other Big Pharma outfits, with enough time to develop new products that can boost revenue ahead of any key patent losses. Today's pipeline show is designed to convince investors that it has that task well in hand.
- see this chart of Roche's late-stage pipeline
- here's the blow-by-blow from Roche
- read the Bloomberg story
- and here's the report from Reuters