Disappointing article, not disappointing biotech

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7523.1025

BMJ 2005;331:1025 (29 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7523.1025

Letter

Disappointing article, not disappointing biotech

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Joppi et al's critique and not biotech itself isdisappointing.¹

The authors classified most of the biotech drugs (24/61) as"copycat or me too products"—pejorative terms intendedto cast prejudicial doubt on a drug's value. I am familiar withone of the drugs on the copycat list, teriparatide (rhPTH1-34,Forteo, Eli Lilly), a treatment for osteoporosis. I helped withits development. Teriparatide was the first and remains theonly drug in its class approved for osteoporosis. It was thefirst bone anabolic agent ever widely approved in Europe. Manyexperts have deemed teriparatide an important addition to thetreatment options for osteoporosis. If an obviously pioneeringinnovation such as teriparatide may be classified by Joppi etal as a copycat, one must question all drugs on the "copycat"list.