Money in Emerging Market Medicines

With Asia expected to overtake Europe in pharmaceutical sales in the next decade, researchers are taking more interest in the predominant diseases — particularly cancers — in emerging markets. Bethan Hughes investigates the new strategies of large-cap pharmaceutical companies, finding they go beyond anticipating increases in lifestyle-associated diseases (attributed to longer life expectancy and lifestyle changes) in countries including China, India, Brazil, Russia, Korea and Mexico. Big Pharma is also researching use of biomarkers and other techniques to pinpoint the medicines needed, and those most likely to be effective, in emerging markets.