Small/specialty pharma brands "lack promotional infrastructure"

Despite their importance in pharmaceutical companies' strategic portfolios, small and specialty brands are often overlooked by firms seeking alliances, licensing agreements and co-promotions, according to a new study published by Cutting Edge Information.

Small and specialty brand development is a catch-22; companies frequently hesitate to invest heavily in a drug targeted for less than $500.0 million in peak annual sales. On the other hand, niche products have difficulty exceeding $500.0 million because they are not properly supported compared to mid-level and blockbuster drugs.

"By studying pharmaceutical and biotechnology brands whose peak annual sales fall below $500.0 million, we had the unique experience of learning what makes these drugs and their product teams tick," said Elio Evangelista, senior research analyst at Cutting Edge, adding: "small and specialty drugs play such a vital role in today's health care environment ... it's a shame when they're improperly funded and can't get to patients who need them most."