Macro
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month values ▾
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +0.20 | +0.12 | +0.20 | +0.20 | +0.10 | +0.10 | +0.10 | +0.10 | +0.10 | +0.10 | -0.17 | +0.10 |
The patent cliff peaked with Lipitor's November expiry, eroding big-pharma revenue, but the sector stayed a defensive anchor in the year's debt-ceiling and eurozone turmoil while FDA approvals began reviving.
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Sanofi is acquiring U.S. biotech firm Genzyme for $20.1 billion to strengthen its portfolio of high-margin, patent-protected rare-disease treatments amid declining sales from patent expirations. The deal includes contingent payments tied to drug production and approvals, reflecting confidence in Genzyme's specialty therapies. The acquisition signals a strategic shift in big pharma toward orphan drugs as a growth engine with limited generic competition.
On November 30, 2011, U.S. patent protection expired on Lipitor (atorvastatin), the cholesterol pill that at its peak generated about $10.7 billion in annual sales and stands as the best-selling drug in history. The launch of generic atorvastatin, alongside a cluster of other blockbuster expirations, marked the height of the pharmaceutical 'patent cliff,' with the brand's U.S. sales falling roughly 79% within a year.