Pharma and Profits

High-level commentary on various facets of the pharmaceutical industry from a key leader in the field

This book clearly explains the value that the pharmaceutical industry offers to society which is often underreported against the more negative topic of high drug prices. It also offers an overview for drug discovery and development professionals, highlighting the challenges that such drug hunters should be aware of when developing new drugs. Case studies to illustrate topics like hepatitis C, mRNA vaccines, insulin, and price controls are included to aid in seamless reader comprehension.

Written by John LaMattina, former president of Pfizer Global Research and Development and well-known speaker and writer for the pharma industry, sample topics covered and questions explored within the work include:

• Fiscal consequences of curing hepatitis C
• mRNA vaccines and the race for a cure
• Why the government does not deserve a piece of Biopharma’s profits
• Paying for drugs whose ultimate value is unknown
• The impact of reduced revenues on R&D

This book is a must-read for biopharmaceutical professionals and executives who wish to gain high-level insight into key challenges that must be first understood, then overcome, within the pharmaceutical industry.

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction x

Chapter 1 The $1000 Pill: the Fiscal Consequences of Curing Hepatitis C 1

Chapter 2 Enter the Payers: Fda Approval Does Not Guarantee Commercial Success 10

Chapter 3 Pandemic: mRNA Vaccines And The Race For A Cure 19

Chapter 4 Federal Investment in R&d: Why the Government Does Not Deserve a Piece of Biopharma’s Profits? 34

Chapter 5 Insulin: the True Cost of a 100- Year- Old Drug 44

Chapter 6 The Costly Alzheimer’s Disease Drug: a Questionable Breakthrough 50

Chapter 7 Gene Therapy: How Much Is a Life Worth? 60

Chapter 8 Proving the Value of Expensive Drugs: Should We Pay For Drugs Whose Ultimate Value Is Unknown? 70

Chapter 9 Generic Drugs: Built- in Cost Controls 74

Chapter 10 About Those Soaring Pharma Profits: Are They Driving Healthcare Costs? 80

Chapter 11 Schemes to Lower Drug Prices: the Impact of Reduced Resources on R&d 84

Final Thoughts 96

Index 98

John LaMattina, PhD is the former Senior Vice President, Pfizer Inc and President, Pfizer Global Research and Development. In this role, Dr. LaMattina oversaw the drug discovery and development efforts of over 12,000 colleagues in the United States, Europe and Asia. Currently a Senior Partner with PureTech Health, he is the author of Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths About Pharma R&D (2008) and Devalued and Distrusted – Can the pharmaceutical industry restore its broken image? (2013), both published by Wiley.