more ▼
WIKI ANALYSIS
WIKI ANALYSIS | This article describes a concept which could impact a variety of companies, countries or industries. To see what companies and articles reference this concept page, click here. |
TOP CONTRIBUTORS
As the largest cause of death worldwide, cardiac disease has spawned the development of an entire industry dedicated to its treatment. There are a wide range of both drug treatments and surgical procedures that are used to either prevent or treat cardiac disease. Additionally, food and beverage manufacturers have responded to concerns about cholesterol intake by producing and marketing a wide range of low-cholesterol foods. In spite of this, people still maintain relatively poor diets and engage in activities that increase their risk of developing cardiac disease. This is likely due to the fact that heart problems develop years after exposure to risk factors, decreasing the urgency of taking preventive measures. As such, the demand for pharmaceutical and surgical treatments has remained strong and is unlikely to ebb in the near future.
Which companies are involved in the treatment of cardiac disease?
Pharmaceutical companies
- Pfizer (PFE) produces Lipitor, one of a class of drugs known as statins, which are used to lower cholesterol. Lipitor is currently the best-selling drug in the world, bringing in $12.2 billion in 2005. Pfizer also produces Norvasc, an antihypertensive drug, though its patent expired in 2007.
- AstraZeneca (AZN) makes Crestor, another statin aimed at lowering cholesterol levels and preventing cardiac disease.
- Merck (MRK) sells Zocor and Vytorin (which it co-produces with Schering-Plough (SGP)), two other leading brands of cholesterol-lowering statins. Vytorin is a combination of the main ingredients in Zocor and another drug called Zetiaand works to prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Merck's patent for Zocor expired in June of 2006, allowing Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA) and Ranbaxy Laboratories to produce generic versions. However, Merck has drastically cut prices on Zocor, minimizing its loss of sales volume to competitors. Merck also produces the antihypertensive Cozaar.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) and Sanofi-Aventis SA (SNY) produce and market the drug Plavix, which is used to prevent the aggregation of platelets, a potential source of arterial blockage. Plavix is often used in patients with a history of cardiovascular problems and can help prevent future strokes, heart attacks, etc.
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) makes Coreg, used to treat mild to moderate congestive heart failure.
Medical device manufacturers
- Boston Scientific (BSX) is a leading producer of both traditional coronary stents and newer, drug-eluting stents. These are used in angioplasty, a procedure to mechanically widen constricted blood vessels, decreasing the risk of heart attacks and other cardiac diseases. BSX also makes pacemakers, which help to regulate heartbeats.
- JOHNSON & JOHNSON (JNJ) and Medtronic (MDT) also offer stents and other devices used in the surgical treatment of vascular blockages or constriction, as well as pacemakers.
- Abbott Laboratories (ABT) also manufactures medical devices used in the treatment of cardiac disease. In recentclinical trials, its new Xience V drug-eluting stent was shown to be safer and more effective than competitors' products, which could benefit Abbott in terms of market share and revenue.
- Medtronic (MDT) and St. Jude Medical (STJ) are medical device companies with leading marketshares in ICDs, pacemakers, and other cardiac devices.
- Edwards Lifesciences (EW) is a device company that only sells devices to treat advanced cardiovascular disease, holding over forty percent of the 2007 replacement heart valve market.
Worldwide Market for Cardiovascular Drugs is Large
Cardiovascular drugs comprised the largest pharmaceutical drug category in 2006 worldwide.
Pharmaceuticals World Market of Top 5 Therapeutic Classes (2006) [1]
| Value ($bn)* | % of Total | Growth vs. 2005** | |
| Cardiovascular | 100.8 | 17% | 7% |
| Central nervous system | 99.9 | 16% | 8% |
| Alimentary tract and metabolic | 73.6 | 12% | 9% |
| Anti-infectives (bacterial,viral and fungal) excluding vaccines | 61.4 | 10% | 3% |
| Respiratory | 40.1 | 7% | 6% |
No comments:
Post a Comment