Release issued 12th May 2008

May 12, 2008, Waltham, Mass.  Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues,  finds that, in addition to the increasing uptake of currently-marketed biologic drugs, at least 15 new biologic therapies for Immune and Inflammatory Diseases are expected to launch by 2017, compared to fewer than five oral agents.

The new Pharmacor report entitled Emerging Immunomodulators finds that sales of emerging immunomodulators for nine inflammatory diseases-Asthma, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-will exceed US $6 billion in 2017. Although the use of emerging biologic agents will remain restricted to moderate-to-severe cases in most indications, they will expand treatment options for patients failing existing therapies and their high prices, as well as the need for continuous administration, will drive robust market growth.

The report also finds that the dominance of TNF-Alpha inhibitors over other immunomodulators will persist in the next decade, as sales for TNF-Alpha inhibitors will exceed US $17 billion in major-market class sales in 2017. Despite the availability of three marketed agents, the report forecasts that a novel TNF-Alpha inhibitor, Centocor/Schering-Plough/Mitsubishi Tanabe/Janssen's Golimumab, is positioned to become a blockbuster.

"The greatest commercial potential exists for TNF-Alpha and Interleukin inhibitors due to their applicability across several immune indications and their promising risk/benefit profiles," said Irene Koulinska, M.D., analyst at Decision Resources. "New biologic immunomodulatory agents will enter the market as late-line treatment options for indications with marketed TNF-Alpha inhibitors such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Ankylosing Spondylitis."

About Decision Resources
Decision Resources, Inc. (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in research publications, advisory services, and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources, and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.

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