An experimental lupus drug has just met another key goal in its journey to becoming the first approved treatment for the disease in over years The target read more...
By Thomas Gryta Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Human Genome Sciences Inc.'s (HGSI) chief executive believes a small, specialized sales force, built with its partner GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK), can comfortably bring in annual sales exceeding $1 billion for its experimental lupus drug, Benlysta. After the surprise success of Benlysta's first late-stage trial in July, the two companies are awaiting data from a second trial in November before filing for marketing approval with the hope of launching the drug next year. Wall Street has high hopes for the drug, which would provide the first treatment in decades for lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and tissue damage virtually anywhere in the body. Thomas Watkins, Human Genome's chief executive, said on Monday at a UBS conference in New York that the drug would have an annual cost in the "$20,000 range, or perhaps a little higher." read more...