Timing is everything in the business world. Timing in the pharmaceutical business world is even more critical. Very little can be happening in the world of pharmaceuticals when, all of a sudden everybody is interested in a company’s work and time-to-market status. An investor who can see the timing in pharmaceutical product development will find profit arriving quickly and abundantly.
LEV Pharmaceuticals Inc., a development stage biopharmaceuticals company, works to develop and commercialize biopharmaceuticals directed at inflammation and heart attack. The company’s primary work is related to the C1INH protein – which causes a genetically debilitating inflammation of certain areas of the body beyond normal appearance. Although this condition can be found throughout the body, it is often found around the face. The company is also working on biopharmaceuticals related to myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
The company’s primary drug, in its search for an effective solution to C1INH, is called Cinryze. It is passing through Phase III trials and is quickly being looked at for solutions to other inflammation conditions. The company’s approvals and commercialization progress has not gone unnoticed within the market. On July 15, 2008 ViroPharma Inc. offered company shareholders $443 million for the company, along with bonus payments if certain targets are met. Generally, this would indicate that ViroPharma is ready to move on the close to approved orphan drug, but also that it is interested in additional inflammation applications revolving around the C1 protein. It should be noted that “orphan” drug status is a key element in this equation, as it gives the developer and marketer additional rights moving forward to market.
For the new company going forward, there does appear to be a fairly good fit. LEV Pharmaceuticals is a targeted company focusing on a particular area of interest while ViroPharma is oriented toward a certain group of issues surrounding in-hospital antibiotic infection/resistance issues. Together the companies should find a more solid product structure going forward. Pharmaceutical development and marketing is mostly about bringing timing and synergies together. LEV Pharmaceuticals appears to have both going for it at this time.
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