Abstract. The author explores the case of the Israeli pharmaceutical group Teva. It is noted that in modern conditions there are favorable factors for an entry into the global market of the small-and medium-sized pharmaceutical firms producing equivalents of patented drugs. The current global trends such as the growth of living standards increase the number of elderly people, who are the main consumers of medications, and the emergence of new drugs to fight the previously incurable diseases significantly increase the demand for medicines. The total costs of purchasing the drugs are becoming increasingly onerous for patients, for all kinds of involved medical institutions (hospitals, medical offices, insurance funds, etc.) and for the governments. Therefore, there is a growing interest in replacing expensive original drugs by the same quality, but cheaper generics.