AstraZeneca Prilosec And Nexium Strategic Challenges In The Launch Of A Second Generation Drug Case Solution

1. Astrazeneca has multiple options available to extend the competitive advantage they hold regarding Prilosec – during the life of, as well as after the expiration of the patent. These include:

• Launching a new, second generation drug by the name Nexium

• Marketing Prilosec under different brand names, and applying it to different conditions and diseases

• Engage in continuing research to identify new capacities which could be patented – including manufacturing, formulating and delivering pharmaceuticals

• Patenting new formulations of Prilosec

• Creating fallback patents for Prilosec

• Creating patents for the manufacturing process

• Suing other companies that introduced generic drugs for Prilosec for patent infringement

• Paying other generic companies to delay the launch of competing drugs

• Relate the effectiveness of Prilosec to specific genetic markers, and claim its use for disease subtypes

• Collect pediatric information and conduct research regarding the use of Prilosec for children

• Petition in congress to allow extension for Prilosec’s patent life

• Introduce own generic substitutes for Prilosec before the patent expires, and create awareness for it

• Convert Prilosec to an OTC version

• Create trademarks for the intellectual property of the Prilosec drug

• License the intellectual property of the Prilosec drug

2. In order to extend the competitive advantage of Prilosec in event of patent expiration, the following tactics are suggested which would allow the company to continue to benefit in terms of sales and revenue: