Officials with Pfizer have announced the company’s intent to stop research on heart disease and obesity and turn their attention to cancer.
They state that the change of heart is partly to allow the company to focus on more profitable diseases, but that current studies involving drugs will not be terminated.
Pfizer’s most popular drug, the cholesterol pill Lipitor, is set to lose its patent protection in 2011.
Currently Pfizer is working with a budget of 8 billion bucks, and will focus that money on research into cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.
They have begun early stage research into various compounds for treating anemia, bone health, liver disease, obesity and osteoporosis, but will be terminating their research in those areas.
“Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, inflammation/immunology, oncology, pain and psychoses (schizophrenia) are confirmed as our higher priority areas,” the New York-based company said in the memo. “These large markets, with rapidly advancing science, are the areas where Pfizer can take a leading position.”
Leave a Reply