Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

…a bump in [generic-Lovenox] sales in getting inventory back to the levels they want. Or did they not want 4 weeks? Can't remember if they had an explicit target.

NVS did not disclose an inventory target per se, but they said they wanted the channel to be well stocked for competitive reasons; I interpret this to mean about 4 weeks of inventory in the channel.

…are the scripts suggesting an expanding market? Eyeballing the number, seems as though the total of Lovenox and m-enox scripts is bigger than Lovenox scripts before m-enox approval.

Some expansion in the number of total Rx’s is occurring due to lower ASP’s and lower co-pays for the generic.

…what do you think of the noticeably different average molecular weights of Lupenox and Lovenox -- 3.9 kDa and 4.5 kDa, respectively -- and what that implies?

The implication is obvious—the drugs are not the same.

To me it supports genisi's assertion that t-enox is not Lupenox; I just can't see Teva seriously trying to claim sameness with the AMW that far off.

In circa 2002 when Teva inked its deal with ItalFarmaco, MNTA was an unknown private company called Mimeon and no one knew how much sameness the FDA would demand for approval of a Lovenox generic. It’s easy to ridicule Teva’s decision in hindsight, but I see no reason to think that it wasn’t a rational business decision at the time.