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Where have all the antibiotic patents gone?

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Patent and regulatory hurdles combined with low returns on investment are stifling antibiotic R&D in the pharmaceutical industry.

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Figure 1: Antibacterial sales forecasts from 2005 to 2015, and key patent expirations.

References

  1. Bad bugs, no drugs: as antibiotic R&D stagnates... a public health crisis brews (Infectious Diseases Society of America, Alexandria, Virginia, 2004).

  2. Utility Examination Guidelines, 66 Fed. Reg. 1092 http://www.uspto.gov/web/officer/com/sol/notices/utilexmguide.pdf (2001).

  3. Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development pegs cost of a new prescription medicine at $802 million. http://csdd.tufts.edu/NewsEvents/RecentNews.asp?newsid=6 (2001).

  4. Fermini, B. & Fossa, A.A. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 2, 439–447 (2003).

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  5. Harris, G. Approval of antibiotic worried safety officials. New York Times (19 July 2006).

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  6. FDA rejects Replidyne drug application. Denver Business Journal (23 October 2006).

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  1. Wood Phillips, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 3800, Chicago, 60661-2562, Illinois, USA

    Martin L Katz, Lisa V Mueller, Mark Polyakov & Steven F Weinstock

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  1. Martin L Katz
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  2. Lisa V Mueller
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  3. Mark Polyakov
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  4. Steven F Weinstock
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Katz, M., Mueller, L., Polyakov, M. et al. Where have all the antibiotic patents gone?. Nat Biotechnol 24, 1529–1531 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1206-1529

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