Differences from the original
The effect of a me-too preparation can be the same, similar or even better than that of the original. For example, a me-too drug may act faster or longer or have different side effects than the original substance. In addition, sometimes a patient responds better to one than the other. Me-too preparations can therefore allow therapy to be tailored to individual patients.
Differences from generics
Me-too preparations must not be confused with generics – these contain exactly the same active ingredient as the original.
In addition, generics may only be marketed once the patent protection of the original has expired. Me-too drugs, on the other hand, can be developed before then and also patented. Sometimes the manufacturer of the original drug even does this himself – he uses the research work on the original substance to develop chemically similar compounds in parallel and bring them out as me-too preparations.
Additional therapeutic benefit
However, the added therapeutic value of the analog preparations is disputed. The manufacturers speak of an important step innovation, while the health insurance funds speak of a pseudo-innovation that provides no or only insignificant additional therapeutic benefit.
