Ciba Reveals Pipeline With Broad Reach

In 1994, Ciba devoted more than 2 billion Swiss francs ($1.8 billion) to its research and development activities, at a time when patent expiries are threatening some of the group's leading products, such as the beta blocker Lopresor (metoprolol) which has seen sales plummet 40% in 1994 due to generic competition in the USA (Marketletter April 3).

Ciba continues to restructure its research and development activities, and worldwide responsibilities for key indication areas are now centralized at its research facilities in Basle in Switzerland, Summit in the USA and Horsham in the UK. Clinical development has also been restructured in order to achieve faster times to market, said the firm.

In total, the new development portfolio consisted of 27 New Molecular Entities and line extension at the end of 1994 (see table). The company has highlighted several drugs scheduled for launch in 1996/1997 which will foster further growth for the group, including the cardovascular drugs Revasc (hirudin) and valsartan, and letrozole for breast cancer. In earlier development, selfotel for cerebral ischemia and transforming growth factor beta-3 (CGP 4564) for wound healing are products with significant sales potential, says Ciba.