Three drugs: Fosamax, Evista and Actonel dominate the osteoporosis treatment market, and a fourth drug, Boniva, recently became available.
Teva Pharmaceutical successfully fought Merck in January, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled the patent for Fosamax Weekly to be invalid, shortening its term by 10 years. The Israeli-based generic drug maker is expected to release a generic version of Fosamax shortly.
Teva has now launched an attack on Elly Lilly’s drug, Evista, which is taken by half a million women in the US, and brings in half a billion dollars in revenue.
Teva’s shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Market have fallen 25% in the last quarter. If the company manages to muscle in on the brittle bone industry it is not only elderly women who are likely to feel the benefits.
