Recognising the value of the “Me-Too”
08.01.14
The value of me-too’s lies largely in the minute differences that set them apart from their predecessors. This is especially true when we look at the escalating war against viruses and resistant bacteria. We need more variants to combat the development of resistance, a growing concern at global level. The race is on to develop new treatments capable of coping with the issue – described as a “ticking time bomb” and a threat comparable to terrorism by UK Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies last Spring.
Furthermore, with the new knowledge we have about defining disease and the advent of targeted therapies, a slightly modified medicine may have better efficacy or improved safety in a subset of patients. Targeted therapies based on “omics” are gaining ground: Both the FDA and the European Commission put out reports tracking the progress and promise of these so-called personalised medicines in late 2013. As long as these new follow-on medicines are used in a targeted way, and used as second-line to often-inexpensive generics, they should not bediscredited as “me-too”. Researchers looking for better outcomes in targeted populations should not be accused of “evergreening”.
Finally, look at it simply as this – me-too’s create options. How can you argue against options? Offering a greater number of choices allows patients and doctors the possibility to determine a treatment that not only works, but works best for that particular patient. Any doctor will tell you that some patients do better on different drugs than others; two patients may suffer from the same ailment and display the same symptoms, but – for a variety of reasons, sometimes even unknown reasons – react differently to different medications.
Me-too’s have real value and it’s time to recognise that value. A recent WSJ article highlights some other valuable reasons for the significance of me-too’s. The “me too” moniker may not disappear but the term itself deserves a rethink. A “me too” medicine may be very similar to its predecessor – but that doesn’t render it pointless. In medicine and medicines development, it’s the minute details that can make a big difference – especially when it comes to determining the best treatment for patients.
