A Thought Leader Analysis into Alcoholism and Future Competitive Growth in the Drug Development Market

Business Wire, July 7, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/901daf/thought_leader_ins) has announced the addition of the "Thought Leader Insight & Analysis: Alcoholism" report to their offering.

This report provides in-depth analysis of the market and pipeline from the perspective of global thought leaders.

This report is derived from seven primary interviews conducted with North American specialists in the treatment of alcoholism. Six are psychiatrists and one is a general practitioner. All are highly active in research and alcoholism clinical trials.

Based on the lackluster commercial performance of naltrexone and acamprosate, Pharma has erroneously underestimated the size of the alcoholism market. The lack of clear FDA guidance on trial design and resulting indications has stymied many pharmaceutical companies from entering this category. There is a stigma associated with alcoholism. Companies may have a few product champions but the general corporate attitude is that developing drugs for alcoholism carries the same kind of corporate image risks as developing contraceptives and other "morality drugs". There is also a tremendous fear of product liability litigation. The general corporate perception is that drugs for alcoholism won't be reimbursable, and many of the people who come in for treatment will be "down and out" and not able to afford medicine. An analogy would be to forecast the size of the antidepressant market before the availability of Prozac.

We are however at an inflection point. While competitive intensity in the alcoholism field has been low by traditional measures it is clearly now emerging. We expect to see tremendous competitive growth after the first successful product launches into the primary care physician's office.

To bring clarity to the debate on the course and speed of developments in this field the Panel tries to address a number of the underlying medical, regulatory, social and commercial issues.

These include:

* Unmet needs from the patient, specialist, general practitioner, 3rd-party payer and societal perspective.

* Habits & practices of specialists, GPs and non-medical treaters.

* Hurdles preventing increased diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism, particularly in the community setting, and a commercialization model that Pharma can follow to overcome these.

* Changing paradigms in primary and secondary clinical trial endpoints and alcoholism trial designs.

* New screening tools and behavioral diagnostic instruments.

Drugs/classes mentioned in this report include:

* -ReVia (naltrexone)

* -Vivitrol (extended release injectable naltrexone

* -Alkermes / Cephalon)

* -Campral (acamprosate Forest)

* -Antabuse (disulfiram)

* -gabapentin (generic)

* -Topamax (topiramate

* -Ortho-McNeil)

* -Prometa (flumazanil / gabapentin / hydroyzine; Hythiam)

* -glutamatergic

* -non-NMDA

* -kainate

* -AMPA

* -CB-1

* -Acomplia (rimonabant; Sanofi-Aventis)

* -SSRI

* -dopaminergic

* -Seroquel (quetiapine; AstraZeneca)

* -NPY

* -NK

* -CRH

Key Topics Covered:

* -Epidemiology

* -Unmet Needs

* -Habits & Practices

* -Trial Design Issues

* -On-Market / Near Market Pharmacotherapy

* -Pipeline Approaches-Key Findings

* -Alcoholism Market

* -Incidence / Prevalence

* -Benefits / Unmet Needs

* -Product Profile

* -Patients

* -Specialists

* -Community Physicians

* -3rd-Party Payers / Employers

* -Habits & Practices

* -Trial Design Issues

* -On-Market / Near Market Pharmacotherapy

* -Next-Generation Pharmacotherapy

* -Thought-Leader Discussions

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/901daf/thought_leader_ins