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Case histories
The power of total commitment.
TAXOL® (paclitaxel) injection
For 20 years, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) studied TAXOL® (paclitaxel), an extract from the Pacific yew tree that showed promise in advanced ovarian and breast cancer. Supply and manufacturing difficulties constrained clinical trials. Then, in 1991, the NCI and Bristol-Myers Squibb entered a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).
In less than two years we resolved the daunting source and supply problems, began rapid expansion of clinical trials, and obtained U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for marketing. TAXOL® exceeded the goals of both partners, surpassing $500 million in U.S. sales, while worldwide sales reached more than $1 billion. We pioneered patient access programs, providing TAXOL® free to patients who could not pay. And we have spent more than $1 billion on development, supporting more than 600 clinical trials, of which about 200 are still ongoing. And, most telling, we were a pioneer in patient access programs, providing TAXOL free to patients who could not pay for the drug. That's the power of total commitment.
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