Pfizer slims down pipeline
pharmafile | September 28, 2010 | News story | Research and Development | Pfizer
Pfizer has reduced the number of drugs in its product pipeline as part of a broad refocusing of its R&D efforts.
Projects in phase I will bear the brunt of the cuts, accounting for 15 programmes out of a total of 31 that have either been halted completely or cut back as the company takes a hard look at which drugs will help it manage a number of looming patent expiries.
Pfizer said its updated pipeline would focus on “value and unmet medical need” as it continues to integrate drugs developed by Wyeth, which Pfizer acquired last year.
Mikael Dolsten, president of Pfizer’s worldwide research and development, said: “Building on the rapid integration of Pfizer and Wyeth, the new Pfizer brings a wealth of scientific approaches and technologies to our key investment areas, and we are developing novel product candidates across all phases of development.
“We are leveraging the best product assets of our legacy organisations and driving important steps forward in strategy and method to deliver a portfolio of next generation medicines and vaccines.”
The company’s new pipeline includes 26 programmes in phase III and nine programmes in registration, as well as 27 biologics and four vaccines across all phases of development, but phase I projects were reduced to 118.
Overall, this update reflects 25 programmes that are new or have advanced along the pipeline and 31 programmes that have been discontinued since the last update.
Ian Read, president of Pfizer’s worldwide biopharmaceutical businesses, said: “We continue to be confident in the progression of our late-stage pipeline and have advanced three compounds into registration since our last portfolio update.”
“We have a strong pipeline with programmes in development across important therapeutic areas including oncology, neuroscience and inflammation. We remain committed to growing our biologics and vaccines development programmes.”
The US giant is looking to extend its portfolio into rare and orphan diseases. This includes its phase III development of Moxidectin for onchocerciasis, or river blindness, in collaboration with WHO, that affects 37 million people, most of whom live in poor, rural African communities.
Pfizer is also developing a late stage combination of its anti-fungal treatments Eraxis and Vfend to treat aspergillosis, a rare fungal infection that effects patients with impaired immune systems due to illness.
Ben Adams
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