Approvals spell double trouble for cancer in Australia
Genepharm Australasia, of Southbank, Victoria, Australia, a generic pharmaceuticals specialist, has received marketing authorisation approval from Australian Government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to sell two injectable anticancer drugs, epirubicin and carboplatin, in Australia.
Genepharm Australasia, of Southbank, Victoria, Australia, a generic pharmaceuticals specialist, has received marketing authorisation approval from Australian Government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to sell two injectable anticancer drugs, epirubicin and carboplatin, in Australia.
The drugs are two of the most commonly used cancer treatments in Australian hospitals, having experienced total usage of more than $10m in the 2005 financial year. Hospital sales of the company's anticancer drugs are expected to begin next financial year.
"The combination of these key anticancer drugs with our earlier TGA approvals of leading pharmacy products gives Genepharm a strong market entry position in both the hospital and retail pharmacy markets," said Dennis Bastas, ceo and md, Genepharm. "[The company] has several other anticancer injectable drugs awaiting approval [and is] working on new oncology product developments that will expand its range and include new oral hormone therapies that come off patent in the next few years."
Its partnerships with Europe's Genepharm SA and a number of other generic manufacturers give Genepharm Australasia access to over 100 market leading generic pharmaceuticals. The company says that the value of generic pharmaceuticals is expected to increase almost threefold to around $2bn in dispensed value by 2009.