The Top 10 Year In Review

1. Pfizer President and CEO Jeff Kindler retired, succeeded by Ian C. Read. George Lorch elected Non-Executive Chairman of the Board. Sutent approved in EU for treatment of pancreatic neuro-endocrine tumors. Launched Prevnar 13, a vaccine against 13 strains of pneumococcal diseases in infants and young children. Also has 118 products in the R&D pipeline and had 1,300 clinical trials in 2010.
2. Novartis Completed purchase of Alcon from Nestlé for $38.5 billion. Jonathan Symonds promoted to CFO. David Epstein replaced CEO Joe Jimenez as Division Head, Pharmaceuticals. Thirteen major pharmaceutical approvals in the US, Europe, and Japan, with 147 products in development. Tasigna was approved in the US, the EU, Japan, and Switzerland for patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML), a form of blood cancer. Menveo (vaccine against meningococcal disease) launched in the US, EU, and parts of Latin America and Asia. Sandoz launched generic enoxaparin, its most successful launch to date, and acquired Oriel Therapeutics.
3. Sanofi-Aventis Initiated acquisition of Genzyme for $16.6 billion (completed in April) and finished acquisition of OTC company Chattem. Began collaboration programs with Harvard and Columbia Universities and a research alliance with Scripps Genomic Medicine. Jevtana approved in US for second-line treatment of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
4. Merck Elected Kenneth Frazier CEO. Bought Inspire for $430 million. Rotateq vaccine awarded top honor at Prix Galien USA 2010. Merck BioVentures entered into an alliance with Parexel for biosimilar development. Signed commercialization agreement with Lundbeck for Sycrest and a letter of mutual intent with China's Sinopharm. Pipeline has more than 20 late-stage candidates. Licensed oral mTOR inhibitor for multiple cancers from Ariad. Oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor Boceprevir granted Priority Review status by FDA.
5. Roche Rituxan approved in US as first-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and relapsed/refractory CLL. Tarceva approved in US and EU for first-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer after chemotherapy. FDA rejected use of Avastin as a treatment for metastatic breast cancer; Roche has requested a hearing to appeal this decision. Daniel O'Day appointed COO of the Pharmaceuticals division. Alan Hippe named CFO. Jean-Jacques Garaud appointed Head of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development.
12th Annual Pharm Exec 50