More than 100 diseases to be better treatable by 2011

"By the end of 2011, research-based pharmaceutical companies can obtain marketing authorization for 358 new pharmaceuticals or applications for existing drugs. Patients suffering from more than 100 different diseases, especially cancer patients for whom more than 25% of the new pharmaceuticals are developed, will be able to benefit from this development," Dr. Dr. Andreas Barner, chairman of the German Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies (VFA), said during the presentation of a recent survey to the association's 45 member companies in Berlin today. The survey was commissioned by the VFA.

"However, patients must also be able to receive these new therapies," said Cornelia Yzer, Director General of the VFA. So far, in an international comparison, there have been delays for the patients in obtaining innovative pharmaceuticals, although they are eligible for reimbursement immediately upon marketing authorization. When it comes to the future obligation of obtaining a second opinion from a physician, there must not be any access delays in the form of a loophole.

The "Perspective 2011" survey shows that the development activities of the research-based pharmaceutical companies focus on the indications of cancer (26 percent of all projects), cardiovascular diseases (18 percent), infections (15 percent), inflammatory diseases (8 percent) as well as multiple sclerosis and type II diabetes (4 percent). Barner: "93 percent of the projects are concerned with serious diseases, the rest is about less extreme physical problems."

Over the next few years, the introduction of a new therapeutic principle for cancer may be expected: therapeutic vaccines. Based on a vaccine, the patient's immune system is quasi informed of the cancer cells' "tell-tale properties" and involved in the tumor defense this way. This could initially be used for lung cancer, cervical cancer and malignant melanoma.

The treatment of multiple sclerosis could become significantly simplified. Today, it is primarily based on pharmaceuticals that must be regularly injected by the patient. Five companies are working on replacing them by the year 2011 with medications that can simply be taken in the form of tablets or capsules.

Four new antibiotics could be launched to combat increasingly resistant bacteria, in addition to four other pharmaceuticals for the treatment of bacterial infections.

A total of 40 pharmaceuticals for rare diseases that affect less than five out of 10,000 EU residents could receive marketing authorization by 2011. Furthermore, 10 drugs could be launched for diseases that occur especially in developing countries, primarily new vaccines and malaria medication.

"Germany plays a key role in the development of new pharmaceuticals," Barner concluded. "Almost all drugs that are launched in Germany are developed by the companies with the participation of German clinics or physicians' practices. Eighteen of the 45 VFA member companies also maintain laboratories for the invention of new pharmaceuticals in Germany."

The VFA brochure "Forschung für das Leben" lists all the projects from the "Perspective 2011" survey. It is available at http://www.vfa.de/publikationen. The project are also listed on the VFA website at .

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