Biomarkers: Shaking Up--and Protecting--the World's Biggest Drug Market
Executive Summary
The ASTEROID trial for Crestor, showing that it's the first statin known to reduce arterial plaque, has shaken up the $20 billion statin business, showing how biomarkers-not clinical endpoints-can dramatically shift share in even well established markets. And while the news was largely bad for beleaguered Lipitor, the trial's reaffirmation of the importance of potency also shows why the coming generics won't significantly hurt the market leaders.