Small molecule, API biz to be growth drivers for company: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Biocon
“We have focused on creating key growth drivers and have structured the company along those growth drivers,” says Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. (BCCL)…………. owner BIOCON
MY, DR AMC COMMENTS- BIOCON GREAT PERFORMANCE, U ARE EVERYWHERE
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: We have focused on creating key growth drivers and have structured the company along those growth drivers. These growth drivers are beginning to deliver very strongly for us.
The first is our small molecule business vertical, which is about our historic statins and immunosuppressant’s API business. This particular vertical going forward is envisioned to go up the value chain along an ANDA path and we believe that will improve the quality of earnings in this particular vertical, which for a long time was under pressure because of commoditisation of statins.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/small-molecule-api-biz-to-be-growth-drivers-for-company-kiran-mazumdar-shaw-biocon/articleshow/21975113.cms
ATORVASTATIN SYNTHESIS

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atorvastatin

Atorvastatin (INN) /əˌtɔrvəˈstætən/, marketed by Pfizer as a calcium salt under the trade name Lipitor,[1] is a member of the drug class known as statins, used for lowering blood cholesterol. It also stabilizes plaque and prevents strokes through anti-inflammatory and other mechanisms. Like all statins, atorvastatin works by inhibitingHMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme found in liver tissue that plays a key role in production of cholesterol in the body.
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Atorvastatin was first synthesized in 1985 by Bruce Roth of Parke-Davis Warner-Lambert Company (since acquired by Pfizer). The best selling drug in pharmaceutical history, sales of Lipitor since it was approved in 1996 exceed US$125 billion, and the drug has topped the list of best-selling branded pharmaceuticals in the world for nearly a decade.[2] When Pfizer’s patent on Lipitor expired on November 30, 2011,[3] generic atorvastatin became available in the United States, initially manufactured only by generic drugmakers Watson Pharmaceuticals and India’s Ranbaxy Laboratories. Prices for the generic version did not drop to the level of other generics—$10 or less for a month’s supply—until other manufacturers were able to supply the drug in May 2012.[4]

| Atorvastatin calcium, YM-548, CI-981, Prevencor, Tahor, Lipibec, Torvast, Sortis, Lipitor | |
| (3R,5R)-7-[2-(4-Fluorophenyl)-5-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-(phenylcarbamoyl)pyrrol-1-yl]-3,5-dihydroxyheptanoic acid calcium salt (2:1) | |
| 134523-03-8, 134523-00-5 (free acid), 110862-48-1 (free acid (R*,R*)-isomer) | |
| 2-C33-H34-F-N2-O5.Ca | |
| 1155.35 | |
| Alzheimer’s Dementia, Treatment of , Cardiovascular Drugs, Cognition Disorders, Treatment of, Immunologic Neuromuscular Disorders, Treatment of, Lipoprotein Disorders, Treatment of , Metabolic Drugs, Multiple Sclerosis, Agents for, Neurologic Drugs, Treatment of Disorders of the Coronary Arteries and Atherosclerosis, HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, TNFSF6 Expression Inhibitors | |
| Launched-1997 | |
| Jouveinal (Originator), Pfizer (Originator), Almirall Prodesfarma (Licensee), Syncro (Licensee), Yamanouchi (Licensee), Stanford University (Codevelopment) |
| SYNTHESISTrans-6-[2-(3- or 4-carboxamido-substd. pyrrol-1-yl)alkyl]-4-hydroxypyran-2-one inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis | |
| Roth, B.D. (Pfizer Inc.) | |
| EP 0247633; US 4681893 | |
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1) The condensation of 2-(1,3-dixolan-2-yl)ethylamine (I) with ethyl 2-bromo-2-(4-fluorophenyl)acetate (II) by means of triethylamine in acetonitrile gives ethyl 2-[2-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)ethylamino]-2-(4-fluorophenyl)acetate (III), which is acylated with isobutyryl chloride (IV) and triethylamine in dichloromethane yielding the corresponding amide (V). Saponification of the ester (V) with NaOH in methanol/water affords the free acid (VI), which is cyclized with N,3-diphenylpropynamide (VII) [obtained in the reaction of 3-phenylpropynoic acid (VIII) with aniline (IX) by means of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC)] by heating at 90 C in acetic anhydride giving 1-[2-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)ethyl]-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-isopropyl-N,4-diphenylpyrrole-3-carboxamide (X). The hydrolysis of the dioxolane group of (X) with HCl yields the corresponding aldehyde (XI), which is condensed with methyl acetoacetate (XII) by means of NaH in THF affording 7-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-isopropyl-3-phenyl-4-(N-phenylcarbamoyl)pyrrol-1-yl]-5-hydroxy-3-oxoheptanoic acid methyl ester (XIII). The reduction of the carbonyl group of (XIII) with tributylborane and NaBH4 in THF gives the (3R*,5R*)-dihydroxy ester (XIV), which is saponified with NaOH in water yielding the corresponding free acid (XV). The lactonization of (XV) by heating in refluxing toluene affords the (R*,R*)-lactone (XVI), which is submitted to optical resolution by reaction with (R)-1-phenylethylamine (XVII) followed by fractional crystallization thus obtaining the amide (XVII) as the pure (R,R,R)-enantiomer. The hydrolysis of the amide (XVIII) with NaOH, followed by heating in refluxing toluene gives the (R,R)-lactone (XIX), which is finally treated first with NaOH in methanol/water, and then with CaCl2 or calcium acetate.![]() |
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- “Pfizer product promotion page (Liptor)”. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- “Lipitor becomes world’s top-selling drug”. Crain’s New York Business. 2011-12-28.
- CNN Wire Staff (November 30, 2011). “Lipitor loses patent, goes generic”. CNN. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- NeLM, June 2012: Price to UK National Health Service for 28 tablets from £3.25 (10mg) to £10.00 (80mg).
- “Atorvastatin Calcium”. Drugs.com. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
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Further reading
- “Highlights of prescribing information” (pdf). Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) Tablets for oral administration. Pfizer. 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- Maggon K (June 2005). “Best-selling human medicines 2002-2004”. Drug Discov. Today 10 (11): 739–42. doi:10.1016/S1359-6446(05)03468-9. PMID 15922927.
- Roth BD (2002). “The discovery and development of atorvastatin, a potent novel hypolipidemic agent”. Prog Med Chem. Progress in Medicinal Chemistry 40: 1–22. doi:10.1016/S0079-6468(08)70080-8. ISBN 978-0-444-51054-9. PMID 12516521.
- Simons J (2003-01-20). “The $10 Billion Pill Hold the fries, please. Lipitor, the cholesterol-lowering drug, has become the bestselling pharmaceutical in history. Here’s how Pfizer did it”. Fortune. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- Winslow R (2000-01-24). “The Birth of a Blockbuster: Lipitor’s Route out of the Lab”. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- “Ann Arbor chemist wins national award for drug discovery”. ScienceBlog. American Chemical Society. 2003-03-01. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- Rowe A (2008-08-20). “Meet the Guy Who Invented Lipitor”. Wired Science. Wired.com. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- Bernstein M (2008-08-16). “Chemical Society To Honor ‘Heroes Of Chemistry’ During National Meeting”. Medical News Today. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- He L (2003-09-27). “Bruce D. Roth, Pfizer Inc, USA”. Chinese Academy of Sciences·Institute of Process Engineering. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
External links
- Atorvastatin bound to proteins in the PDB
- Lipitor.com – manufacturer’s site
- MedlinePlus Drug information: Atorvastatin (Systemic) – information from USP DI Advice for the Patient
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Drug Information Portal – Atorvastatin
| An improved synthesis of 1,1-dimethylethyl 6-cyanomethyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4-acetate, a key intermediate for atorvastatin synthesis | |
| Radl, S.; et al. | |
| Tetrahedron Lett 2002,43(11),2087 | |
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The 6-cyanohexanoic ester (VII), intermediate in the synthesis of 180072 (see intermediate (XLI) in scheme no. 18007204a) has been obtained as follows: the reaction of 1,6-heptadien-4-ol (I) with BuLi, CO2, and I2 in THF gives the cyclic carbonate (II), which is treated with Ts-OH in acetone to yield the acetonide (III). The reaction of the iodine atom of (III) with KCN in hot DMSO affords the nitrile (IV), which is oxidized at the terminal double bond with OsO4 and NaIO4, or O3 and Me2S, to provide the carbaldehyde (V). The oxidation of (V) with CrO3/H2SO4 in acetone gives the carboxylic acid (VI), which is finally esterified with tert-butanol by means of DCC and DMAP in dichloromethane, yielding the target ester intermediate (VII).![]() |
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Lipitor industrial production shown below (TL, 1985, 2951; TL, 1992, 2279; 2283)
Divided into two fragments. Primary amine fragment iso-ascorbic acid as a starting material (stereoisomer of vitamin C) in the system. 1,4 – dione as a starting material isobutyrylacetanilide fragment, obtained by the Stetter reaction, the reaction of benzoin conjugated version Michael addition. Diketone related primary amine with a substituted pyrrole ring obtained five, after deprotection and salt formation Lipitor.
Atorvastatin of IC50-0.025μM, its RR configuration is as high IC50-0.007μM (SS configuration IC50-0.44μM).
Initially synthesized as shown above (JMC, 1991, 357).
Which polysubstituted pyrrole ring by the Munchnone of 1,3-dipolar [3 +2] cycloaddition get.
Big boost for Incyte as Jakafi shines in PhII

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ruxolitinib
Top-line results from a Phase II trial showed that its JAK inhibitor Jakafi (ruxolitinib), in combination with Roche’s Xeloda (capecitabine), improved survival in some patients with recurrent or treatment refractory advanced pancreatic cancer
http://www.pharmatimes.com/Article/13-08-
22/Big_boost_for_Incyte_as_Jakafi_shines_in_PhII.aspx
Ruxolitinib (trade names Jakafi and Jakavi, by Incyte Pharmaceuticals and Novartis) is a drug for the treatment of intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis, a type of bone marrow cancer.It is also being investigated for the treatment of other types of cancer (such as lymphomas and pancreatic cancer), for polycythemia vera, and for plaque psoriasis.
The phase III Controlled Myelofibrosis Study with Oral JAK Inhibitor-I (COMFORT-I) and COMFORT-II trials showed significant benefits by reducing spleen size, relieving debilitating symptoms, and improving overall survival.
Mechanism of action
Ruxolitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor with selectivity for subtypes 1 and 2 of this enzyme.
Side effects
Immunologic side effects have included herpes zoster (1.9%) and case reports of opportunistic infections.[10] Metabolic side effects have included weight gain (7.1%). Laboratory abnormalities have included alanine transaminase (ALT) abnormalities (25.2%), aspartate transaminase (AST) abnormalities (17.4%), and elevated cholesterol levels (16.8%).
Legal status
In November 2011, ruxolitinib was approved by the USFDA for the treatment of intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis based on results of the COMFORT-I and COMFORT-II Trials.
Some analysts believe this to be a potential blockbuster drug.[3] As of the end of March 2012, and according to an Incyte spokesman, approximately 1000 physicians had prescribed the drug in the United States, out of a total 6500 hematologists and oncologists nationwide.

The US Food and Drug Administration had approved Incyte’s Jakafi (ruxolitinib) to treat patients with the bone marrow disease myelofibrosis (MF). Jakafi is the first and only drug granted license specifically for the treatment of the rare blood cancer.

Jakafi approved by FDA to treat rare bone marrow disease
Posted By Edward Su On November 17th, 2011
MF is a rare, potentially life-threatening blood cancer with limited treatment methods. Patients with the bone marrow disoder, characterized by bone marrow failure, enlarged spleen (splenomegaly), suffer from the symptoms of fatigue, night sweats and pruritus, poor quality of life, weight loss and shortened survival. The US drug firm Incyte estimates the disease affects about 16,000-18,500 people in the USA. Currently, the disease is treated with chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant.
Incyte’s Jakafi, the first drug to reach market from the Wilmington-based drug company, was approved by the FDA as a twice-a-day pill for the treatment of patients with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF), including primary MF, post-polycythemia vera MF and post-essential thrombocythemia MF. The US regulators reviewed Jakafi under its priority review program for important new therapies.
The approval of Jakafi was based on the results from two clinical studies involved 528 patients with the disease. Patients in the Jakafi treatment arm experienced a significant reduction in the size of their spleen as well as a 50 percent decrease in symptoms, including pain, discomfort and night sweats.
Jakafi, generically known as ruxolitinib, works by blocking JAK1 and JAK2 enzymes associated with the disease. The company has co-developed the drug with Novartis as part of their collaboration signed in 2009. The Swiss drug firm has the rights to market Jakafi in other countries.
“The availability of Jakafi is a significant medical advancement for people living with myelofibrosis, a debilitating disease,” said Paul A. Friedman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Incyte. “This milestone marks a tremendous achievement for Incyte because a scientific discovery from our research laboratories has become the first JAK inhibitor to reach the market and provide a clinical benefit to patients.”
Richard Pazdur, director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Drug Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said that Jakafi “represents another example of an increasing trend in oncology where a detailed scientific understanding of the mechanisms of a disease allows a drug to be directed toward specific molecular pathways”.
Incyte says Jakafi will be available next week, and the drug will cost $7,000 per month, or $84,000 for a year’s supply for insured patients. The company plans to provide Jakafi free to uninsured patients and will offer co-pay assistance to patients with financial need.
(JAK1, JAK2) inhibitor, developed by the Incyte Corporation, trade name Jakafi.
Ruxolitinib synthetic route as shown below. 4 – bromo-pyrazole ( 1 ) with ethyl vinyl ether ( 2 ) to protect, and then with a Grignard reagent to a halogen – exchanged with isopropyl magnesiumpinacol ester ( 3 ) quenching to obtain 4 . Compound 5 is obtained consisting of hydrogen is protected 6 , and then with a boronic acid ester 4 Suzuki coupling occurs under acidic conditions after removal of the protecting group pyrazolyl 7 , 7 and α, β-unsaturated aldehyde 8 chiral catalyst 9 of under the catalysis of asymmetric Michael addition to give ( R ) -10 (90% EE). ( R) -10 , after reaction with ammonia to obtain an imine oxidation with iodine nitrile 11 , respectively, with different conditions for the final removal of the protecting group to afford Ruxolitinib.
FDA Accepts Nuvo’s New Drug Application for Review
Nuvo Research Inc. announced that its U.S. licensee for PENNSAID@ (diclofenac sodium topical solution) 1.5% w/w and PENNSAID 2% (diclofenac sodium topical solution) 2% w/w,
Mallinckrodt has advised that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted for filing and review the New Drug Application (NDA) for PENNSAID 2% submitted by Mallinckrodt on August 7, 2013.
Oncopeptides Testing Melflufen in Europe
Oncopeptides AB, a company working to enhance oncology therapies, announced that the first patient has been dosed as part of a phase 2 study in multiple myeloma patients with its drug candidate melflufen (previously called J1). The trial is an open-label phase 2 study, designed to determine the level of efficacy of melflufen in combination with dexamethasone, for late stage, relapsing or relapsing/refractory patients
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Diabetes Drug Trial Moves to Israel
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Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a developer of oral drug delivery systems, announced that it has initiated patient recruitment for a new clinical trial of its orally ingestible insulin capsule, ORMD-0801 for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Israel.
Ajay Piramal’s 20-20 game planThree years after selling its generics business to Abbott, the group is ready with a new strategy on becoming a $20-billion company by 2020

Twenty is an important number for Ajay Piramal, founder of thePiramal Group. Whether it is the target of 20 per cent annual growth or the goal of taking market capitalisation to $20 billion by 2020, the number is key in his scheme of things.
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