Generics and Cancer, Prostate Cancer (MYL, AZN)

July 7, 2009 · Filed Under Cancer, fda 

Mylan Inc. (NASDAQ: MYL) has announced an unusual generic drug approval this morning.  The company’s subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals received approval from the FDA for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for Bicalutamide Tablets, 50 mg.  It would seem that there is a chance that this could be a game changer if everything works fine and if the treatment of cancers can be moved to generics rather than name brands drug and biologics.

Bicalutamide tablets are the generic version of the AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) prostate cancer treatment called Casodex(R).  This is not the largest drug out there, but it had total U.S. sales listed as being approximately $322 million for the 12 months ending March 31 for the same strength, according to IMS Health. Mylan has begun to ship this product.

There is just one question left, and this is not an easy sell.  If you have prostate cancer, are you going to just say “OK” when your doctor says that there is now a cheaper generic that is believed to do the same thing?  While that is a personal dilemma, there is always the notion that many patients won’t have a choice.

Jon C. Ogg
July 7, 2009

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