Generic Copaxone would be an excellent development for MSers who pay $40,000 for the drug annually, but devastating to Teva who's monopoly will die!

Teva's biggest drug is Copaxone, a blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug that generated $1.05 billion in
sales last quarter -- half of the specialty pharma segment's revenue and 20% of Teva's total top line. Over the past four years, sales of Copaxone have steadily risen as the primary pillar of growth for Teva's top line.

However, Teva's key patent for Copaxone will expire in May 2014,

opening the doors for generic competition. Mylan and Momenta Pharmaceuticals have already stated that their intent to release generic versions the moment Teva's patent expires. Generic Copaxone would be an excellent development for MS patients, who pay $40,000 for the drug annually, but it could be devastating to Teva's top line.

In addition, Copaxone, which is injected, faces rising competition from newer oral MS treatments, such as Novartis' Gilenya, Sanofi's Aubagio, and Biogen Idec's Tecfidera, which could reduce Teva's market share dramatically in 2014.

Labels: Aubagio, Gilenya, TECFIDERA