Pharma's Market
SPECIAL REPORT
MOST SHARED
- Citigroup Lost $20 Million on Facebook IPO Trades
- Oil Declines, but Doesn't Help European Consumers
- Traders Worry Over 'Possible Risks' During Long Weekend
- Bankia Asks Spain for $23 Billion Bailout
- Spanish Lender Seeks 19 Billion Euros; Ratings Cut on 5 Banks
- Najarian: Yahoo! a Must Own Stock
- Facebook: The Song — Yes, We're Serious
- Marc Faber: 100% Chance of Global Recession
- S&P Cuts Ratings on Five Spanish Banks
- The Shortage of Women Billionaires
- A New Look at the ‘New Poor’
- Six Pack: Beer Buzz of the Week
- Greek Exit Could Trigger 50% Fall in Euro Stocks: Analyst
- Under Pressure, FHA Skews to Wealthier Home Buyers
- Big Stock Upside for Hudson City Deal: Analyst
- 5 High-Yield Stocks Ready to Boost Dividends
- Yoshikami: Four Things You Need to Know About Gold Now
- Steinbock: The Euro Zone Endgame Begins
- Option Bulls Take Another Shot on Idenix
- Facebook Fiasco: 10 Things Underwriters Got Wrong
- Sticker Shock: What College Is Likely to Cost in 18 Years
- Look Ahead: Europe Has Wall Street Bull on Short Leash
- What Happened to Stocks? Most Unloved in 50 Years
- Icahn Raises Stake in Chesapeake, Wants Board Seats
- Citigroup Lost $20 Million on Facebook IPO Trades
- Break Up JPMorgan: Sheila Bair
- Main Players in the Greek Election
- Many Greeks Moved Their Money Abroad Long Ago
RSS FEED
Merck And Schering Reeling From Vytorin Study
Text Size 
Reporter
 |
CNBC.com |
] and Schering-Plough's [SGP
Loading...
()
] cholesterol franchise of Vytorin and Zetia. The drugs have come under attack in the past two weeks over the extent of their efficacy. And then today "The New York Times" ran an article about the financial ties the influential medical organizations that have come to the pills' defense have with the drugmakers. And separately, lawsuits are now being filed against the companies.
ImpactRx says the so-called ENHANCE study has already caused a "sharp drop" in Vytorin and Zetia prescriptions. In the past week, the company says primary care physicians have gone from putting 15 percent of their cholesterol-drug first-timers onto Vytorin (a combo of Zetia and Zocor) to five percent. Interestingly, among cardiologists the drop isn't as big: 15 percent to eight percent.
But, ImpactRx--and this stat shows you just how closely prescriptions are monitored--says as of yesterday the decline "may have begun to stabilize." John Kain, VP of Marketing at Impact Rx, is quoted in the press release as saying, "The reaction among physicians and patients is a bit puzzling, but the (prescription) data certainly indicate a change in attitude towards these drugs has occured."
Analysts are already speculating that patients are being given generic Zocor, Pfizer's [PFE
Loading...
()
] Lipitor or AstraZeneca's [AZN
Loading...
()
] Crestor instead of Vytorin or Zetia.
I'm guessing Merck officials will vigorously and vociferously defend the franchise in the press release and on the conference call when the Dow component reports earnings next Wednesday. In the meantime, investors continue to punish the stock. But, guess what? SGP, which has lost about a quarter of its value in the past ten days or so, is rallying today.
Questions? Comments?
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes
