Hong-Lee:
I, too, was a bit surprised that there are estimated to be so few MS cases in Japan. As Harold has pointed out, because the disease is genetically related, the number of cases as a function of population apparently changes with ethnic group and Japan apparently is not a high density MS area.
IMHO that this is a very good move for Biogen, since its developing international strength is centered in Europe, rather than the Far East, and since Genzyme has already established and demonstrated the effectiveness of its presence and infrastructure in the Japanese market.
I do not believe, however, that one should read any more into this relationship than the business terms that have been announced. A company with a very good product and little penetration or infrastructure in a particular market has made a commercial arrangement with a non-competing company that does have the marketing and sales infrastructure. It is a great opportunity to add the potential patient base of Japan to Avonex at considerably less cost than would be necessitated by developing Biogen's own marketing and support operation there. Speculation about merger, etc. based on this announcement would not, IMHO, be appropriate. Although the two companies' headquarters are separated physically from each other by less than a few hundred yards, they are miles apart in many ways.
Steve |
