Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA)

[genisi]

Democrats submit bill to allow biologic generics in U.S.
14.2.07 | 21:40 By Yoram Gavison

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/826127.html

Shares in Teva (TASE, Nasdaq: TEVA) are rising 1.8% on Wall Street as of writing, fueled by hopes of a bill that could break through the barriers stopping the approval of cheaper, generic biotech drugs known as biologics.

Democratic senators Charles Shumer and Hillary Clinton, both of New York, tabled a bill today that would empower the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve generic biologics made from living cell cultures. Regular generic drugs are made by chemical synthesis.

Because of the biological production process, it is harder to guarantee consistent quality of biologics, and that they will remain identical to the original drug.

That conundrum has held up approval of biological generics in principle in the U.S., creating an ever widening gap between the American and European healthcare systems.

Sales of biologics reached $24 billion in 2005, or 9.5% of the U.S. prescriptions market.

See also Dew's post:
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=17057467