New Report Lists 44 Biotechnology Medicines in Development in San Diego Area

San Diego area companies are at the forefront of applying biotechnology techniques to help the nation combat an alarming rise in chronic diseases, according to a recent report on the next generation of experimental medicines.

Companies with a presence in San Diego, Carlsbad and La Jolla are researching a total of 44 new, cutting-edge medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, among other debilitating illnesses.

The latest report by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on the next generation of medicines in research pipelines found 633 biotech medicines under development nationwide. Of those, 133 are being developed in California .

Companies in the San Diego area are developing 20 therapies to combat cancer, six to treat infectious disease, five to attack cardiovascular disease, four to attack diabetes, three to treat HIV/AIDS, and two each for neurological, autoimmune disorders and growth/obesity disorders. All of the medicines in the report are being tested or await government approval.

The new report raises the prospect of powerful new weapons in the nation’s ongoing battle against chronic illnesses.

“The biotechnology revolution is helping create medicines that use innovative technologies such as nano-sized particles that seek out and kill viruses, ways to actually regenerate healthy muscle to replace damaged heart tissue, and gene therapy,” says PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin.

“The impact of this research is felt worldwide. Such critical innovation is creating medicines with the potential to help millions of patients live longer, healthier and more productive lives,” PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken Johnson said recently when announcing the release of the 2008 Medicines in Development Biotechnology.

California is a leader in bioscience research and development. California ranks second, nationwide, in states developing new biotech medicines and ranks No. 1, nationwide, in biotechnology venture capital investments—$20.7 million— according to the 2008 Business Facilities Ranking Report.

Among the biotech medicines that San Diego Area companies are researching:

A medicine in Phase II clinical trials for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This medicine turns off insulin receptors, ultimately enhancing the activity of insulin in the body.
A medicine in Phase III clinical trials to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This medicine blocks a special molecule that hides tumor cells so that the body’s immune response can recognize and attack cancerous tumor cells.

“Researchers are making exciting progress in the search for new cures and treatments for a wide array of serious diseases. But these efforts are wasted if the medicines that are developed are not accessible to the patients who need them,” Johnson said.

Help is available to patients in need through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), a program sponsored by America ’s pharmaceutical research companies. To date, the PPA has helped more than 5 million patients nationwide, including more than 304,000people in California . Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 2,000 cities.

To read the 2008 report, Medicines in Development Biotechnology, go to: http://www.phrma.org

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $44.5 billion in 2007 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $58.8 billion in 2007