Why drug companies wont research more drugs for male pattern baldness

[Britannia]

This is only my THEORY, it isnt fact:

I have been trying to come up with a theory why GSK decided against proceeding with phase III trials of Dutasteride for male pattern baldness. I know there are many theories out there, so heres what I concluded. GSK must have spent large sums of cash getting through the first 2 phases of trials. It really wouldnt make any sense fianacially to back out effectively at the last minute. There is little doubt in my mind that Dutasteride would be much more efficent in combating hair loss and promoting hair regrowth, and I cannot see any reason why side effects would be an issue. I believe that sales of Propecia worldwide have been very disappointing for Merck and Im sure that companies such as Cipla producing their own generics has severely dented theyre profit margins. In fact I believe generic medications for hair loss will really begin to take off, mainly because Cipla are becoming world-renouned for producing top quality drugs at prices at a fraction of western pharmaceutical giants. In fact many of the large drug manufactorers (I better not name any specifcally) have had a real sweat on about Cipla taking the African AIDS market from them. To put it another way, Merck did the research and put the cash behind developing Propecia, only to have their product copied and produced at a price considerably lower which could mean Merck having problems recouping money they had put into researching Propecia.
Now take GSK, if they wanted to market dutasteride for hairloss they would have to change the strength/formulation to make the new drug different from Avodart, simply so they could charge more and recoup the cash they spent on research in the same way Merck charge more for Propecia than Proscar. But if you look on many online pharmacies, there are already generic dutasterides available at considerably less than the cost of Avodart. Assuming GSK did produce a drug containing hairloss containing Dutasteride they would find themselves with a HUGE gap in prices between generics and their own branded drug. And with generic medication becoming more and more popular, there really is little incentive for big drug companies to pour money into researching new medication for male pattern baldness because they simply will not be able to recoup their intial outlay.
P.S. I do not work for/recommend Cipla
P.P.S. If you read this and feel sorry for Merck/GSK please dont, they are money grabing scum who are exploiting the sick and taking advantage of the governments of countries with widespread disease and little money to pay for treatments.

 

[noorur]

i agree

i am using Generic dutasteride

 

[KiLLuMiNaTi]

there must be some side effects with dutasteride that they cant risk giving them to men for male pattern baldness witch is not a fatal illness like an enlarged prostate

 

[KiLLuMiNaTi]

P.P.S. If you read this and feel sorry for Merck/GSK please dont, they are money grabing scum who are exploiting the sick and taking advantage of the governments of countries with widespread disease and little money to pay for treatments. i agree 100%

 

[Womble]

there must be some side effects with dutasteride that they cant risk giving them to men for male pattern baldness witch is not a fatal illness like an enlarged prostate

I don't think benign prostatic hyperplasia is fatal. (The clue is rather in the name!)

 

[Britannia]

Dutasteride is licensed for use with benign prostatic hyperplasia, not all types of enlarged prostate. BPH certainely is not fatal, in fact symptoms are usually pretty mild, so I would assume any side effect bad enough to stop the drug being used for hair loss would also prevent it being used for BPH.

 

[global]

there must be some side effects with dutasteride that they cant risk giving them to men for male pattern baldness witch is not a fatal illness like an enlarged prostate

You are implying that there is some serious side effect which has been undeclared. I think that is unlikely, huge companies like GSK would be in a LOT of trouble if it were discovered they had falsified their submissions to the FDA, and in fact would be nearly impossible to do anyway, since a large amount of doctors and researchers would be involved in the testing and someone would be sure to blow the whistle.

I think its more likely they didnt proceed for the reason they gave - insufficient return, however I think this is mainly their own fault given how appallingly they have marketed propecia, many men simply don't know about it so how can they expect it to sell?

 

[Britannia]

Remember here in the UK it is technically illegal for drug companies to advertise there own brand name drugs to the general public (POM medications) so marketing a drug would be EXTREMELY difficult. Here in the UK most people with male pattern baldness who are on Propecia have done their own research or have spoken to a doctor about their options.

 

[Slartibartfast]

In fact I believe generic medications for hair loss will really begin to take off, mainly because Cipla are becoming world-renouned for producing top quality drugs at prices at a fraction of western pharmaceutical giants.

Earlier this year the Indian Governmant passed a law prohibiting firms from producing generic copies of patented drugs. The new law will be over-ridden only if the Government decides that such a large number of people (in India) need the drug, and can't afford it, that it constitutes a National emergency.

If you read this and feel sorry for Merck/GSK please dont, they are money grabing scum who are exploiting the sick and taking advantage of the governments of countries with widespread disease and little money to pay for treatments.

They actually derive by far the biggest share of their profits from the USA, not the impoverished Nations of this World - who can typically buy brand-name drugs for far less than in the developed World. The question is who would spend the billions of Pounds neccessary for developing the stream of new drugs we've all come to expect if patent laws aren't upheld? Cipla can only sell them for so little because they don't have to do all the R&D, or cover the cost of all the other drugs that fell by the wayside before reaching the market.

Slarti

 

[global]

In fact I believe generic medications for hair loss will really begin to take off, mainly because Cipla are becoming world-renouned for producing top quality drugs at prices at a fraction of western pharmaceutical giants.

Earlier this year the Indian Governmant passed a law prohibiting firms from producing generic copies of patented drugs. The new law will be over-ridden only if the Government decides that such a large number of people (in India) need the drug, and can't afford it, that it constitutes a National emergency.

If you read this and feel sorry for Merck/GSK please dont, they are money grabing scum who are exploiting the sick and taking advantage of the governments of countries with widespread disease and little money to pay for treatments.

They actually derive by far the biggest share of their profits from the USA, not the impoverished Nations of this World - who can typically buy brand-name drugs for far less than in the developed World. The question is who would spend the billions of Pounds neccessary for developing the stream of new drugs we've all come to expect if patent laws aren't upheld? Cipla can only sell them for so little because they don't have to do all the R&D, or cover the cost of all the other drugs that fell by the wayside before reaching the market.

Slarti

Exactly.