Teva chief confident bill on follow-on biologics to appear in Congress

NEW YORK The chief executive officer of Teva North America is confident that a bill to create a regulatory pathway for follow-on biologics will appear in Congress next year, according to published reports.

Bill Marth, chief executive of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries? North America division, told Reuters Tuesday that there was a "very good chance" that Congress would introduce a bill to allow follow-on biologics, also known as biosimilars, in 2009. 

Several large drug makers have already announced plans to create biosimilar divisions, including Merck & Co., Eli Lilly & Co. and AstraZeneca, which announced its own plan earlier this week.