Issued alternative "Viagra"

The U.S. government approved the sale of new drugs early, which is expected to end the monopoly of "Viagra" in the market to combat male impotency.

The first competitor very profitable "Viagra" on the market called Levitra and is a German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG. The proliferation of new drugs is a British company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Levitra is an alternative drug for the treatment of internal impotency. Unlike blue pill Viagra, Levitra painted in orange.

In 1998, the German company Pfizer began production of the drug Viagra. During this time, sales of the drug rose to 2 billion dollars a year.

Both products operate on the same principle. Doctors warned that the two drugs can have serious side effects, especially for men with heart disease.

Also this year, the United States market should have a third means of impotency Cialis.

Administration to monitor the food and medicines approved a new drug, based on the results of studies that have shown that men taking the pill Levitra, five times more likely to achieve suitable for sex abuser than those who had a placebo.

Scientists have also conducted studies of several thousand men, showed that Viagra helped more than 70% of them improved erection.

Adverse actions

Office to monitor food and drugs to the attention of scientists and about side effects in men with heart disease.

Management decided that the pill Levitra should not take people recently from heart attack or stroke, and people with too low or too high blood pressure.

The remaining men Levitra may cause side effects as headache, the temperature increase laid nose and sometimes dizziness.

"We know, thanks to a major market research that the market is ready for new options," said head of strategic management department at GSK responsible for drugs from cardiovascular disease, problems in the digestive tract and urology.

According to GSK, Levitra will appear in retail sales in the month of September.

Cheap drugs: new stops

WTO took an important step toward liberalization of patent rules. It will allow poor countries to buy and produce cheaper versions of the most effective drugs to fight serious diseases. However, after it was announced new delays in the negotiating process.

On Thursday in Geneva at the meeting of the WTO Council on Intellectual Property was approved by the compromise agreement between the United States and four developing countries. However, a few hours later learned that the WTO General Council, which has the final decision postponed resolution of the issue, citing the need for further consultations.

Until recently, the main obstacle was the position of the United States, claimed that the refusal of the patent would undermine the position of the major pharmaceutical companies working on the development of new drugs.

For many effective drugs patents are 20 years old, that prohibits copying in the form of cheaper, "vendor" forms. The very principle that developing countries could have access to cheap drugs against AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other serious diseases, was developed two years ago.

However, the details of its accuracy is very slow. Thus, in December, the United States blocked a draft agreement, saying it allows out under the patent laws too many drugs-for example, drugs for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes or asthma.

Now, apparently, Washington agreed to lift their objections if WTO members promise not to abuse the new rules and will be used to manufacture drugs vnepatentnomu "for higher-order" and not for commercial gain. Developing countries are also expected to take measures that will prevent a cheaper form of drugs entering the markets of rich countries. Formally, the agreement must be approved by the WTO General Council.

Will easier?

Large pharmaceutical companies welcomed the compromise. "The text of this agreement is to focus the discussion needs most disadvantaged, and this is critical," said chairman of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Association Harvey Bailey.

Nevertheless, representatives of non-governmental organizations believe that the new document Third World country spreading a dense network of reservations and conditions, and in practice does not help the situation to treat severe disease. "The agreement will be disastrous for poor people around the world," said a major British charity Oxfam. - The text of too many bureaucratic tricks and mass constraints. "

African activists said that the United States did influence of the countries of the Third World to the signing of the agreement, which still leaves prices for medicines unacceptably high. Critically listened to the results of the Geneva meeting, representatives of India, producing many copies of drugs. "The new policy infested barriers, which will make copies of more expensive than necessary," Reuters quoted D. D. Shah, Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance.

Representatives of large companies explain the need for stringent patent restrictions increasing cost of research prior to creating highly drugs. According to them, pharmaceutical companies, primarily businesses, bound to balance the costs of manufacturing drugs with the proceeds of their sale.

If income for the influx of cheaper versions will go down sharply, it will be bad and shareholders, and patients are still awaiting the appearance of miracle drugs of various diseases.

The United States approved a new cancer drugs

The U.S. government has approved a drug called avastin designed to combat cancer. The principles of action-a new, it should extend the life of those who suffer colon cancer at later stages.

The product should prevent the formation of new blood vessels, thus, the tumor will not receive oxygen and other nutrients needed for growth.

The American government has approved a new drug, saying that it was the first drug that actually stops tumor growth.

Avastin is used for the treatment of patients with colon cancer at a late stage. Clinical trials showed that the drug extends the lives of seriously ill patients by an average of five months.

Designer drugs company now claims that look as avastin can be useful in dealing with other types of cancer frequently, such as breast cancer or lung.

If himoterapiya kills all fissile cells all over the body and thus lead to serious side effects, the new approach provides that the drug affects only the tumor itself.

Roche will share the secrets of medicines against avian flu

Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche will cooperate with competitors from the United States in the production of vaccine drug Tamiflu, which could help contain the spread avian influenza.
To date, Tamiflu is the most effective drug against the H5N1 virus and the government of 40 countries have filed multimillion jobs to create sufficient stocks. Roche acknowledged that for all the jobs themselves in the short term it is not in a position, despite the fact that over the last three years the annual production of the drug doubled.

But then, to convince pharmacists to open formulations for the manufacture of proprietary drugs, took effect politicians. Negotiations with the American affiliate of Roche has New York Senator Charles Schumer.

In the end, it was announced that Roche will begin negotiations with the company Teva, Barr, Mylan and Ranbaxy, with the production of generic drugs. "We will have much more Tamiflu than if Roche dealt with this self," declared Senator Schumer.

Roche "prepared to discuss"

"Roche has agreed to meet with the leadership of these companies as soon as possible, probably in early next week. It was ready to discuss the production of Tamiflu and other interested companies, "Schumer said after talks with George Abercrombie, head of the American subsidiary of Roche.

Before disclosing secrets patent, a Swiss company, however, wants to make sure that other companies in a position to produce enough drugs. "We want to make sure that they are able to produce large quantities of Tamiflu in a pandemic situation, in the time frame and with the necessary parameters."

Perhaps this explains some more cool attitude Roche regarding admission to the production companies of other countries. About their willingness to make Tamiflu said Thailand, India and Taiwan, but that the contacts Swiss pharmacists limited American companies.