Low Expectations For Glaxo R&D Day After Setbacks

GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) will seek to demonstrate the promise of its new drug pipeline next week, but problems facing two key drugs may make the day something of a non-event, according to industry analysts. Next Tuesday's meeting will focus on treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, an important therapeutic area for GSK, accounting for around a fifth of its drug sales. Europe's biggest drug maker will also publish a chart updating its entire drug development pipeline. The company is expected to highlight an experimental compound for depression and another for pain at the briefing. But both drugs have suffered setbacks recently, delaying their progress and potentially reducing their commercial potential.