Genentech fights to keep edge in drug development

After riding high on a wave of new drug approvals in cancer, Genentech now finds itself facing some stiff competition with other new releases and a host of competitors out to copy--somewhat--it's approach to oncology development. Genentech insists that it is aiming to raise the bar even higher as it fights to maintain its role as the leading biotech company in the field. "Are we missing anything? Are we on the cutting edge?" asked Genentech's Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann at a wrap-up session at ASCO. To come up with the right answers, she adds, takes constant monitoring of other programs in the same field as well as an aggressive approach to intensifying competition among the company's scientists.

- read the article on Genentech from The San Francisco Chronicle