IMS Health's annually published Market Performance Review reported its biopharmaceutical market figures this month for 2007. They state that global pharma sales reached a record $712 Billion, up 6.4%, with U.S. sales, which constitutes 40.2% of the overall market, at $286.5 Billion, up only 3.8%, contributing only 25% of the global growth, the lowest fraction ever, and the slowest growth rate here since 1961. They attribute this modest growth to patent expirations,  more generics, (now 65.7% of overall pharmaceutical sales), fewer and more narrowly focused novel medications, closer scrutiny over safety issues, and lack of new product launches.

European sales were $221.6 Billion with the largest growth in Russia, (20.2%) and Turkey (17.2%).

Japan rose 3.6% in 2007 to 65.2 Billion and the rest of Asia (excluding Japan but including Australia and New Zealand) continued its strong growth, up by 13.3%, at $78 Billion (11% of the global market). This was followed closely by Latin America, up 11.6% to $11.1 Billion.

Globally, Biotechs grew at 9% while specialties grew at 10% and oncology drugs at 14%.

IMS projects a compounded growth rate between 3-6% through 2012. 

The following chart depicts the relative performance difference of common insulated packaging materials.

The attachement clearly illustrates the difference between which materials merely protect a product from heat spikes, and the duration of those that can maintain a specified temperature range

The packages were of the same relative cubic size/volume.

Each package contained one bottle of 500 ml of water conditioned at 4 degrees C, wrapped in a thin layer of bubble wrap and probed with a thermocouple connected to a data logger.

Each package contained one identical 32 ounce (frozen) gel pack placed on top of the 500 ml bottle.

Once assembled, each package was exposed to a constant 30 degreesC (86 degrees F) for 48 hours.

For a detailed performance graph, click on the attachement icon below.

Container	Insulation	k factor	Wall Thickness	R Value	Hours < 10 C	Hours < 20 C
Corrugate			C Flute		2.5	17
Fabric tote	Thinsulate Microfiber	0.25	3/4"	3	8	23
Molded, Hard Sided	Rigid PUR "Igloo cooler"	0.14	1/2"	3.5	3	24
Bubble in corrugate	foil/bubble double layer	0.19	5/8"	3.3	6	27
EPS	Expanded Polystyrene	0.25	1.0"	4	10.4	25.9
EPS	Expanded Polystyrene	0.25	1.5"	6	11.3	28.1
EPS	Expanded Polystyrene	0.25	2.0"	8	12	30
PUR	Polyurethane	0.15	2.0"	13.3	26	48
Vacuum	Vacuum panel(Nanotherm)	0.029	1.0"	35	32	80.3
Vacuum	Vacuum panel with 1" EPS	0.04	2.0"	50	54	80

My regularly scheduled column in Contract Pharma Magazine can be read on-line here.

This month takes a look at the work the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) has been involved in to help improve the distribution of temperaturre-sensitive healthcare products.