¡¡¡¡WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world''s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the use of the antipsychotics AstraZeneca''s Seroquel XR and Solvay/Lundbeck/Wyeth''s bifeprunox will help offset a decrease in the overall bipolar disorder drug market over the next decade.

    The new Pharmacor report entitled Bipolar Disorder finds that although AstraZeneca''s Seroquel will lose patent exclusivity in most major markets by 2012, sales of its follow-on drug Seroquel XR and Solvay/Lundbeck/Wyeth''s bifeprunox will, combined, capture one-third of bipolar disorder drug sales in 2016. According to the report, the patent expiries of drugs that include Eli Lilly''s Zyprexa, Janssen''s Risperdal, Bristol-Myers Squibb''s Abilify and Pfizer''s Geodon will be among the most significant factors in decreasing the market to treat bipolar disorder from $5.7 billion in 2006 to $5.3 billion in 2016 in the world''s major pharmaceutical markets.

    "Bipolar disorder is characterized by significant unmet need and few novel drugs are in development to treat them, leaving significant opportunity for drug developers," said Carlos Dedesma, analyst at Decision Resources. "The approval of atypical antipsychotics for the indication of bipolar depression, including Seroquel XR and bifeprunox, offer the best chance of differentiation from most of the currently available therapies, owing to the market opportunity and lack of competition among treatments for bipolar depression."

    About Bipolar Disorder

    Bipolar disorder is a chronic and debilitating psychiatric illness characterized by recurrent episodes of mania, depression or a mixture of both depression and mania. Broadening diagnostic criteria to include milder symptoms, the practice of prescribing multiple drugs to an individual patient and the use of the more expensive antipsychotics and antiepileptic agents are key attractions to drug developers.

    About Decision Resources

    Decision Resources (http://www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services, and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources, and master their chosen markets.

    All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

    For more information, contact: Elizabeth Marshall Decision Resources, Inc. 781-296-2563 emarshall@dresources.com

    Source: Decision Resources, Inc.
¡¡¡¡