Content area
Full text
* Denotes IMS Health data
** Denotes SDI Promotional Audits & Kantar Media data
Note: 2009 promotional totals for Pfizer, Merck and Roche include spending for Wyeth, Schering-Plough and Genentech product portfolios, respectively
1. Pfizer
Obesity is one of the few categories Pfizer doesn't play in, which is a shame, because once Ian Read's done with them, they may know a lot about slimming down. After an epic decade-plus-long M&A binge, Bill Steere and Jeff Kindler are out and new chief Read is talking about selling or spinning off as much as half the company's business, including the nutritionals, consumer health, animal health and established products divisions. The company has already unloaded its Capsugel manufacturing unit on KKR for $2.4 billion. The plan is to get down to what Read calls "the innovative core." The problem, as its $11 billion breadwinner Lipitor loses US patent protection, is that Pfizer hasn't been innovating enough to cover impending losses. Still, the biggest of big pharmas has some exciting drugs in its pipeline, including JAK-3 inhibitor tofacitinib for rheumatoid arthritis, blood thinner Eliquis, crizotinib for non small cell lung cancer and Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine Prevnar- 13v for adults.
2. Merck & Co.
Merck could have used some of Pfizer's experience in doing big mergers. Coming out of its first year as a combined company, the firm pulled financial guidance through 2013, attributing it in part to a setback on pipeline drug vorapaxar, even though the blood thinner was not due to launch until late 2012. CEO Ken Frazier & Co. may need to up R&D spend with the firm losing best-seller Singulair to generics next year. Its most high-profile pipeline drug now appears to be hepatitis agent Victrelis, up for FDA review in May. Longerterm prospects include Cordaptive/Tredaptive and ancetrapib for lipid management, and odanacatib for osteoporosis. At press time, the firm had tied up one substantial loose end from the Schering- Plough deal, settling arbitration with J&J over Remicade.
3. AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is in the doghouse with analysts and investors at the moment, given its thin near-term prospects and big looming expirations like Seroquel, which loses US patent protection next year, and Crestor, set to see generic competition by 2016. But AZ has a healthier late-stage...