Aventis says strategy for growth is working at R&D presentation

With the integration process largely behind it, five successivequarters of strong earnings growth and a steadily improving geographic and product mix, the onus is now on Aventis to deliver sustainable long-term growth through new product developments. At the firm's second annual R&D presentation, held in London, UK, on May 15, Aventis gave a convincing portrayal of a company in the enviable position of having a raft of products set to deliver high sales growth in the near term, coupled with a strong late-stage pipeline which should provide a flurry of new product launches in the 2004-2005 timeframe.

Aventis Pharma currently has more than 30 projects moving through clinical development, and the unit's chief executive, Dick Markham, said that the company remains on track to deliver its previously-stated target of two to three significant new products, on average, each year. The long-acting basal insulin Lantus (insulin glargine), Actonel (risedronate) for osteoporosis and the novel antibiotic Ketek (telithromycin) will underpin growth in the near term, he said, aided by line extensions for the antihistamine Allegra/Telfast (fexofenadine), antithrombotic Lovenox/Clexane (enoxaparin sodium) and Taxotere (docetaxel) for cancer.

Ketek is awaiting clearance in the USA and Europe, but Aventis suffered a blow earlier this month when a US Food and Drug Advisory panel declined to recommend its approval for the full range of indications sought, on safety concerns (Marketletter May 7). At the R&D meeting, Mr Markham confirmed that Aventis would be seeking a full range of indications for the drug in the USA prior to launch, including a label claim indicating efficacy in resistant infections, and noted that the $1 billion-plus peak sales forecast for the drug is dependent on this eventuality.