R-PR Looks To New Products For Growth

Rhone-Poulenc Rorer has now reported declining profits for the second year running (Marketletter February 6), so it is unsurprising that much attention was devoted to the company's new generation of products, such as Granocyte (lenograstim), Taxotere (docetaxel) and Zagam (sparfloxacin), at the company's recent results presentation.

In 1994, R-PR commenced its roll-out of the anticancer drug Taxotere, filing for approval in 30 countries and gaining its first registrationss, in Mexico and South Africa. Despite initial problems with the Food and Drug Administration's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee in the USA, the company expects to get back on track within six months, and analysts believe the drug has significant potential, along with Zagam (launched in France and approved in the UK) and R-PR's new transdermal estrogen hormone replacement product Menorest (approved in France and the Netherlands).

Granocyte, now launched in 15 countries for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and bone marrow transplantation, has achieved rapid market share, particularly in the UK, France and Greece, notes R-PR. Launches in Italy and Belgium are expected soon, and the product is also being developed in further indications, including neutropenia associated with HIV infection.