Research and Markets : Study the Global Consumer Healthcare Activities of GlaxoSmithKline for Q1 2005

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c19706) has announced the addition of Corporate Focus Healthcare: GlaxoSmithKline Q1 2005 to their offering.

Dublin (PRWEB) June 26, 2005 -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c19706) has announced the addition of Corporate Focus Healthcare: GlaxoSmithKline Q1 2005 to their offering.

Problems continue for GlaxoSmithKline. The company delivered a poor set of results for 2004. While this was said to be largely due to competition from generic medicines in the pharmaceutical sector, the company's "promising" new product pipeline is not delivering products quick enough to fill this gap.

Acquisitions
GlaxoSmithKline has regained the sales and marketing rights to five US prescription-only dermatology products from Elan Pharmaceuticals. The five brands are: Aclovate, Cutivate, Emgel, Oxistat and Temovate and have sales of around $35 million. Elan had licensed the brands from Glaxo Wellcome but decided against extending the agreement as it is withdrawing from dermatology. GlaxoSmithKline says that the brands, although prescription, make an excellent fit with the OTC brands in the Oxy portfolio and with the Abreva cold sore cream..

Warning in Canada
GlaxoSmithKline has warned wholesalers and retailers in Canada that they have to cease supplying prescription drugs to US patients as they are substantially cheaper in Canada. GSK says that its action is because of safety concerns for consumers who could be receiving drugs that are damaged during shipment or the prescription of which is not properly supervised by a doctor. The principal target of GSK's action is Web-based pharmacies. Annual sales of prescription drugs to the US from Canada's Manitoba area are estimated at some 300 million. Ten leading US and Canadian healthcare and business organisations started a national advertising campaign in the New York Times that encouraged consumers to look to reverse the ban. The advertisement also encouraged them to sell any GSK stock that they owned and to switch from GSK OTC products to comparable brands from other companies.

Challenges in generics
The FDA has received applications from companies that are looking to start manufacture of generic versions of the migraine drug Imitrex and herpes drug Valtrex. The patent for Valtrex runs until 2009 while Imitrex lasts until 2008.

GlaxoSmithKline still has some breathing space before these drugs are vulnerable to generics.

The GlaxoSmithKline newsletter covers the global consumer healthcare activities of GlaxoSmithKline during the first quarter of 2005.

Topics covered:
- Communications.
- Nine-month sales fall.
- Acquisitions & Disposals.
- Executive changes.
- Communications & agency news.
- Smoking Cessation.
- Oral Care.
- Functional foods.
- Other brands

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c19706

Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax: +353 1 4100 980

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