Prilosec about

About to lose patent protection on Prilosec, AstraZeneca played for more time by contending that generics would violate its patent, not on the drug itself, but on the process for making the drug. 

There are at least two prominent reasons why society should be concerned about this. Whenever the market— that is, the combination of physician and patient—has been given a choice, it has chosen the best drug available. The best example of this, which we will discuss more fully later, is that of omeprazole (Losec, sold as Prilosec), which... 

From a business point of view, this is also remarkable. Earlier we mentioned the added value which drug companies lend to their products. Omeprazole as Prilosec costs roughly 200,000 per pound (about 440,000 per kilogram) to buy, and the raw materials cost peanuts (relatively expensive peanuts, of course). For comparison, an F-18 Hornet fighter only costs around 400 per pound (about 880 per kilogram) ... 

Table 1.2 shows the top 10 drugs in 2002, according to IMS World Review 2003. Exhibit 1.3 provides an explanation of cholesterol and the mechanism of action for Lipitor and Zocor. Exhibit 1.4 gives more information about Prilosec. 

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