Development chief outlines strategy at Genentech

John Carroll — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:55:43 -0400

Genentech's Susan Desmond-Hellmann, president of product development, outlined the biotech giant's development strategy to a group at the Goldman Sachs healthcare conference. In addition to testing new uses of its cancer blockbusters, Desmond-Hellman says the company will push hard to advance new therapies in the neuroscience and infectious disease areas. Genentech also has 14 new molecules in development for cancer indications.

The research chief also told the group that the blockbuster drugs of the past may never be duplicated. Future drugs will cater to a smaller, better defined group of patients. "The days of big cholesterol-lowering drugs for millions of people may be behind us."

- read the report in the Wall Street Journal

ALSO: Genentech announced that it had settled a patent dispute with MedImmune over basic production methods. Report