Shire is less than half the size of the UK pharmaceutical giants Astrazeneca and Glaxosmithkline but, with three $2 billion-a-year drugs across three therapy areas, it is much less dependent than its bigger rivals on single blockbuster drugs. This means that when the patents start to expire and competition from generic rivals is unleashed, the pain will be more bearable.
However, Shire is not completely immune to the threat from copycats. Key products, including Lialda, used to treat ulcerative colitis, Vyvanse, which treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Firazyr could face generic competition when their patents expire, starting from next year. Accounting for nearly $3.5 billion in revenue, they make up a significant portion of sales. Roche, a competitor, has recently launched a haemophilia