CEO: "supergenerics key to HalcyGen's future"

Melbourne, Australia-based firm HalcyGen is expecting its so-called supergenerics to expand its share of the market, according to chief executive Roger Aston, who added that the company's partnership arrangements with local firm Mayne Pharma would be key to its success.

HalcyGen's strategy is to develop value-added formulations for generic compounds that are off-patent but which have a newly-established intellectual property position through improved delivery and formulation. It then hopes to market these supergenerics as a low-risk option to drugmakers looking for new opportunities in niche markets.

Dr Aston explained that, "when Mayne changed direction to concentrate on making cancer drugs, we began discussing a licensing agreement on the many other drugs they had on the drawing board. The result is a classic win-win deal - Mayne gets a good price to manufacture and distribute the supergenerics while HalcyGen performs the required tests and obtains patents and approvals. By making some small improvements to the original drug, it can be made even more effective or safer to use. Thus supergenerics can still attract premium pricing and international patent protection, greatly improving the potential for financial returns."