LONDON, July 24 /PRNewswire/ --

- Output of New Molecular Entities Drops to Historic Low as Pharma 
Companies Face Increasing Competition from Generics Companies

The Scientific business of Thomson Reuters today announced the
availability of the newly published CMR International 2008 Pharmaceutical R&D
Factbook, an indispensable reference and business planning tool for decision
makers in pharmaceutical R&D, corporate finance, business strategy, marketing
planning and corporate communications. This year's Factbook offers a
comprehensive and up-to-date overview of emerging trends in worldwide
pharmaceutical R&D and has been considerably enhanced with data sourced from
other Thomson Reuters businesses providing insight into areas such as generic
drugs and patents.

CMR International's research shows that the output of new molecular
entities (NMEs) fell to a new 20 year low despite continued year-on-year
increases in R&D expenditure. The proportion of sales derived from products
first launched within the last five years dropped to below 10%, leaving
pharmaceutical companies open to the threat of patent expiry. As R&D
companies are attempting to reverse the decline in the Pharma Industry's
productivity, it is clear that competition from the generics sector is
rapidly increasing. In particular, generics manufacturers in India are having
an increased impact.

"The R&D Factbook has highlighted the challenges faced by the
pharmaceutical industry, with a decrease in new drugs reaching the
marketplace in 2007 and an increasing number of generics manufacturers
expanding their capabilities to exploit expiring patents," said Alexander
Karle, Vice President and General Manager of CMR International. "Our research
shows that those companies best able to manage portfolio risk, drive
efficiency through effective development and maximize the return from
alliances and collaborations will be best placed to succeed in the coming
years."

The information found in the Factbook is based on primary sources
covering major pharmaceutical companies that account for approximately 80% of
the industry's global R&D expenditure. The CMR International 2008
Pharmaceutical R&D Factbook is available as a hard copy report, or in
single-user or enterprise-wide electronic format supplied on CD-ROM.

For further information and an opportunity to purchase the Factbook,
please go to: http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-bin/joint.cgi/cmr

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