The uphill battle to fight hypertension Apr 23, 2008
Jeff's treatment "evolved" until he was taking a daily three-pill cocktail - Diovan HCT, a combination of a diuretic and angiotensin II receptor blocker; Norvasc, a calcium channel blocker; and Toprol XL, a beta blocker. He also works out on a treadmill several times a week, runs up and down stairs at home and at work all day, and eats a mostly heart-healthy diet, including five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, whole grain breads, nonfat milk and no added salt. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Analysts: Drug maker earns get temporary lift amid problems Apr 22, 2008
The New York-based company blamed tougher generic competition, particularly for blood-pressure drug Norvasc and allergy drug Zyrtec. Pfizer earned 61 cents per share, excluding charges for two buyouts, but analysts had expected 66 cents and revenue of $12. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Weak dollar a cushion for drug makers Apr 22, 2008
The company blamed tougher generic competition, particularly for blood pressure drug Norvasc and allergy drug Zyrtec. Local earnings. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
The Long Wait For Pfizer Apr 19, 2008
What makes that tough is that the stable of best-sellers that has made Pfizer the world's biggest drug firm are losing patent protection in the U.S. This quarter, the big losses are blood-pressure pill Norvasc and antihistamine Zyrtec; sales decreased by $556 million and $334 million, respectively. In 2011, Lipitor loses patent protection. (Forbes -- Business)
Pfizers earnings hurt by generic drugs Apr 18, 2008
Its profit fell because of sharp declines in sales of the blood-pressure drug Norvasc and allergy drug Zyrtec ... Meanwhile, sales of Norvasc, which lost patent protection in March of 2007, were cut in half to $513 million during the quarter. (MSNBC -- Business)
Pfizer Flops Apr 18, 2008
The pharmaceutical maker reported worse than expected results across the board in its first quarter, with its earnings plunging 18% following the advent of generic competition for blood pressure treatment Norvasc and allergy medication Zyrtec ... Pfizer lost its exclusive rights to Norvasc in March, and stopped selling Zyrtec in late January ... Norvasc sales plunged 52% to $513 million in the quarter, and its take from Zyrtec dropped 75% to $117 million. (Forbes)
Sales of flagship drugs slide at Pfizer and Roche Apr 18, 2008
8 billion, or 41 cents a share, on generic competition to Lipitor, its pill for lowering cholesterol, and the blood-pressure drug Norvasc ... Revenue for Pfizer, based in New York, slid 5 percent as a $570 million lift from currency-exchange rates failed to overcome a combined $777 million sales plunge for Lipitor and Norvasc ... Sales of Norvasc have plunged 52 percent to $513 million since generic copies came on the market in March 2007. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Stocks end mixed after company earnings Apr 18, 2008
40 following the company's report that its first-quarter profit fell 18 percent following competition from generics and falling sales of drugs including Lipitor, Norvasc and Zyrtec. Meanwhile, Harley-Davidson Inc. fell 70 cents, or 2 percent, to $36. (AZCentral -- Business)
Generic competition hits Pfizer Apr 18, 2008
It blamed the loss of US patent protection to sell blockbuster blood-pressure drug Norvasc and allergy relief medicine Zyrtec. The loss of exclusivity for key drugs is a concern across the sector. (BBC News -- Business)
Stocks bounce around on mixed profit reports Apr 18, 2008
Pfizer fell after the company's report that its first-quarter profit fell 18% due to competition from generics and falling sales of drugs including Lipitor, Norvasc and Zyrtec. Meanwhile, Harley Davidson fell after the , that it was cutting hundreds of jobs and that it would ship up to 27,000 fewer motorcycles this year. (USA Today -- Money)
Pfizer profit misses mark, hurt by Lipitor fall Apr 18, 2008
Pfizer attributed the sales decline primarily to the loss of patent protection on hypertension drug Norvasc and Zyrtec, an allergy medicine the company stopped selling in January. Norvasc revenues were cut in half, to $513 million, while Zyrtec sales plunged 75 percent to $117 million. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Generic rivals prune 18% from Pfizer profit Apr 18, 2008
New York - Pfizer missed analysts' estimates after profit fell 18 percent on generic competition to its cholesterol pill Lipitor and blood pressure drug Norvasc ... Sales of Norvasc have plunged 52 percent to $513 million since generic copies of the blood pressure medicine came on the market last March. (Business Report, South Africa)
Pfizer earnings fall 18% as drug sales slide Apr 17, 2008
Pfizer said lower sales were due primarily to the loss a year ago of U.S. patent protection on blood pressure drug Norvasc and new generic competition for Zyrtec, an allergy drug Pfizer stopped selling in late January. Global sales of Lipitor, Pfizer's flagship product and the world's top-selling drug, fell 7% to $3. (USA Today -- Money)
Combo Pill Cuts Blood Pressure and Heart Risks Apr 1, 2008
Lotrel combines benazepril with amlodipine besylate, the active ingredient in Pfizer Inc's calcium channel blocker Norvasc. In the other, benazepril was combined with hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic used to treat high blood pressure and fluid retention. (Newsmax)
Casual Male reports 85% lower profit in 4th quarter Mar 26, 2008
Caduet, which had $568 million in 2007 sales, combines Lipitor with Pfizer's Norvasc, a drug used to treat high blood pressure. (Bloomberg). (Boston Globe)
The evolution of some drugs Mar 26, 2008
Here's the 10 most regularly-prescribed drugs are elderly: Lipitor, Norvasc, Fosamax, Plavix, Prilosec, Celebrex, Furosemide, Zocor, Prevacid and Norvasc. Back to our discussion of side effects, that's how Viagra pricked the interest of the Pfizer marketing department. (Buffalo Reflex, MO)
Kindler's New Way Mar 7, 2008
Top sellers like Norvasc and Zoloft have already lost patent protection. Lipitor, the top-selling drug in the world with $12 billion in annual revenue, could go generic in as little as two years. (Forbes -- Business)
Generics damp 2007 drug costs: Express Scripts Feb 29, 2008
Some of the biggest-selling drugs in the world have seen their patents lapse and become available as generics in recent years, including Merck & Co's cholesterol treatment Zocor, as well as the Norvasc blood-pressure drug and Zoloft antidepressant, both sold as brands by Pfizer Inc.. In addition to being cost savers for consumers, generic drugs also are a boon to the bottom lines of Express Scripts and other benefit managers that can leverage large discounts on generics to sell through their... (Scientific American)
Taintedpopular meds hit U.S. mainland Feb 6, 2008
Lipitor (Pfizer) _ high cholesterol Zocor (Merck) _ high cholesterol Plavix (BMS Sanofi) _ blood thinner Aranesp (Amgen) _ anemia Zoloft (Pfizer) _ depression Epogen (Amgen) _ anemia Enbrel (Amgen) _ rheumatoid arthritis Procrit (Ortho Biotech) _ anemia Norvasc (Pfizer) _ high blood pressure Neulasta (Amgen) _ low white blood cells in chemotherapy Effexor XR (Wyeth) _ depression Zyprexa (Eli Lilly) _ schizophrenia, bipolar disorder Risperdal (Janssen) _... (MSNBC -- Health)
Drug name mix-ups common in US Jan 31, 2008
The top 10 drugs sold in the US in 2006 all made the mix-up list, including cholesterol drug Lipitor, heart drugs Toprol and Norvasc, antidepressant Lexapro, stomach acid pill Nexium and asthma drug Singulair. The USP researchers said 519 facilities reported on 176,409 errors in 2006. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Pfizer 4th-quarter profit falls Jan 24, 2008
60 billion in the 2006 period, as international sales buoyed by the weaker dollar helped offset the loss of patent protection on blood pressure drug Norvasc and antidepressant Zoloft. Sales of blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor, the world's best-selling drug, rose 3 percent to $3. (MSNBC -- Business)
Results diverge at 2 major drugmakers Jan 24, 2008
Pfizer's earnings have declined for four consecutive quarters after generic copies of its blood pressure drug Norvasc were sold in March. Its cholesterol drug Lipitor, the world's best-selling medication, began facing competition when a rival drug from Merck, Zocor, lost its patent protection in 2006. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Pfizer Q4 profit, sales top forecast Jan 24, 2008
07 billion, as international sales buoyed by the weaker dollar helped offset the loss of patent protection on blood pressure drug Norvasc and antidepressant Zoloft. Sales of blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor, the world's best-selling drug, rose 3% to $3. (USA Today -- Money)
Pfizer raises its 2008 revenue outlook after 4Q profit falls but beats Street expectations Jan 24, 2008
60 billion in the 2006 period, as international sales buoyed by the weaker dollar helped offset the loss of patent protection on blood pressure drug Norvasc and antidepressant Zoloft. The results beat expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Financial, who forecast fourth-quarter profit of 47 cents per share on $12. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Popping Pfizer Jan 11, 2008
Other former bestsellers like Zoloft for depression and Norvasc for high blood pressure are already losing ground to generic competitors. Last month researchers raised questions about whether Champix, a new pill to aid smokers in quitting, causes nightmares and suicidal thoughts, and whether Sutent, for kidney and stomach cancer, causes high blood pressure and heart failure. (SmartMoney)
Analysts foresee more boutique drugs Dec 31, 2007
In the last two years, however, patents expired on Pfizer's blood pressure treatment Norvasc, Merck's cholesterol drug Zocor and more than $40 billion worth of other drugs. Meantime, the Food and Drug Administration delayed or denied would-be blockbuster therapies made by Sanofi-Aventis SA, Wyeth and others. (Anchorage Daily News)
Food can cause hazardous interactions with prescription drugs Dec 28, 2007
NORVASC; high blood pressure and angina; grapefruit. VYTORIN; high cholesterol; grapefruit. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
Modern ills, but many barriers Dec 26, 2007
To supply its blood pressure drug, Norvasc, to hospitals, Pfizer must offer a lower price than local companies selling generic copies, or convince hospitals that its product is better-made. Pfizer takes doctors and hospital administrators on tours of its main plant in Dalian, a northern resort town. (International Herald Tribune -- Business Asia)
Rich Chinese Help Foreign Drug Sales Rise With Cholesterol, Blood Pressure Dec 25, 2007
To supply its blood pressure drug Norvasc to hospitals, Pfizer must offer a lower price than local companies selling generic copies, or convince a hospital that its product is better-made. Pfizer takes doctors and hospital administrators on tours of its main plant in Dalian, a northern resort town. (Bloomberg)
PharmEng unit buys Pfizer's Arnprior plant Dec 23, 2007
This week, however, Pfizer announced it had sold the plant to Keata Pharma Inc., a subsidiary of PharmEng International Inc. Under the terms of the sale, the plant will remain in operation with a three-year deal to continue manufacturing drugs such as Norvasc, Viagra, Reactine and Visine for Pfizer. Keata has also signed production agreements with two other major pharmaceutical companies to produce other products at the plant. (Ottawa Citizen)
Generic antidepressant may affect Wyeth Dec 21, 2007
Pfizer Inc.'s Norvasc anti-hypertension medication lost patent protection earlier this year due to such challenges. But selling an alternative formulation isn't unprecedented. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
State offers prescriptions discounts Dec 21, 2007
99 for 30 5-mg tablets of Norvasc, a blood pressure medication. The drug would sell for $56. (The Palm Beach Post)
Common pill combos pose risks Dec 19, 2007
"You can switch to a different blood pressure medication," Horn says: BP drugs called calcium channel blockers (such as amlodipine, or Norvasc) aren't deterred by NSAIDs. Or swap the pain relievers--use acetaminophen instead. (MSNBC -- Health)
* DOH issues fake drugs warning Dec 18, 2007
Last month, Lo supplied God's Heart Hospital in Chiayi with counterfeit versions of the blood-pressure medication Norvasc, affecting more than 200 patients there. Lo has been sentenced to 20 years and 10 months on two charges of selling counterfeit drugs, but was granted bail pending a final verdict, the United Evening News reported yesterday. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Bristol-Myers closing more than half of plants Dec 6, 2007
Pfizer Inc., the worlds largest drug maker, earlier this year said it plans to cut 10,000 jobs to counter expected revenue losses from generic versions of its antidepressant Zoloft and Norvasc blood pressure treatment. Merck & Co. also plans to slash about 7,000 positions by the end of 2008 as it faces generic competition against its top-selling Fosamax osteoporosis treatment and a potential threat against its cervical cancer drug Gardasil from GlaxoSmithKlines Cervarix, now available in... (MSNBC -- Business)
Pfizer Agrees to Buy Coley Pharma Nov 19, 2007
Pfizer's revenue stream has been significantly narrowed in recent quarters by the loss of patent protection for several once-hot products such as Zoloft, Zithromax and Norvasc. As a result, Pfizer has said it doesn't expect its top-line to grow again until 2009, when it expects sales of newer drugs to pick up the slack from those that face generic competition due to patent expirations. (SmartMoney)
Blacks and Blood Pressure Drugs Nov 13, 2007
Calcium channel blockers (CCBs): CCBs such as Procardia, Norvasc, Cardizem and others, help relax blood vessels. Used alone, they appear to be less effective than other drug classes in lowering blood pressure in African-Americans. (Suite101.com)
IMS Health Predicts 5 to 6 Percent Growth for Global Pharmaceutical Market in 2008, According to Annual Forecast Nov 1, 2007
The decline is most significant in the U.S. market where treatment costs per day have declined 20 - 40 percent in 2007 in therapy areas impacted by the loss of market exclusivity for Norvasc, Zocor and Zoloft. These treatment cost declines are expected to continue through next year, said Aitken, who noted that in the case of osteoporosis therapies and proton pump inhibitors, expected entry of generics competition for Fosamax and Protonix will likely result in 10 - 25 percent reductions in... (BusinessWire)
Plavix appeal outcome may draw from precedent, but lawyers caution on enantiomer patent decisions post-KSR Oct 24, 2007
Recently and in the aftermath of KSR, King Pharmaceuticals Altace (ramipril) patent and Pfizers Norvasc (amlodipine besylate) patent were held to be invalid on the grounds of obviousness. Forest Labs Lexapro patent, on the other hand, was held to be valid on the grounds that (a) a previous scientific article did not anticipate claim 1 of the 712 patent even though it discusse[d] and analyze[d] the efficacy of various drug enantiomers and predict[ed] that one citalopram enantiomer... (FT.com -- Markets)
Major drug makers report 'ho-hum' profits Oct 19, 2007
28 billion a year earlier, as Lipitor sales declined by about $150 million and sales of antidepressant Zoloft and blood pressure drug Norvasc were hurt by generic competition. The results still beat consensus estimates of analysts polled by Thomson Financial, who expected profit of 52 cents per share on revenue of $11. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Pfizer down 77% Oct 19, 2007
28 billion a year earlier, as Lipitor sales declined by about $150 million and sales of antidepressant Zoloft and blood pressure drug Norvasc were hurt by generic competition ... Meanwhile, the loss of U.S. exclusivity and the subsequent rise of generic competition drove sales of Zoloft down 73 percent to $124 million and sparked a 47 percent drop in sales of Norvasc to $640 million. (MSNBC -- Business)
Pfizer net tumbles on withdrawal of diabetes treatment Oct 19, 2007
Revenues for products that lost US marketing exclusivity in 2006 and 2007, depression drug Zoloft and hypertension treatment Norvasc, declined 54 percent in the third quarter of 2007 compared to last year. Viagra sales were up six percent from a year ago at 450 million dollars. (Yahoo News -- Pharmaceutical Industry News)
Pfizer Dumps Exubera, Books Charge Oct 19, 2007
The New York company's sales have been hampered in recent quarters by the loss of exclusivity for several of its drugs, such as the antibiotic Zithromax, antidepressant Zoloft and the anti-hypertension medication Norvasc. In a move to offset these losses of patent protection, Pfizer in January announced a restructuring plan to slash costs by cutting about 10,000 jobs, or 10% of the work force, and closing plants. (SmartMoney)
Kindler Fails to Offset $21 Billion in Sales Pfizer Will Lose to Generics Oct 18, 2007
This year, the blood-pressure medicine Norvasc, Pfizer's second-best-selling drug with $4. 9 billion in 2006 sales, began facing generic competition. (Bloomberg)
E-911 board members should reconsider positions Oct 16, 2007
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Drugmakers dispense up to $500,000 for a feel-good name Oct 8, 2007
For drugmakers, finding a name is more art than science - USATODAY.com. Real solutions for your real estate needs. (USA Today -- Money)
• Healthier Health Plans Oct 7, 2007
Typical drugs at the 10 percent coinsurance are Altace and Norvasc for hypertension, Singulair and Flovent for asthma, and Actos and Lantus (insulin) for diabetes. This year, Pitney Bowes expanded its program to statins - cholesterol-lowering drugs - making them free for diabetics and people with heart disease who have had heart surgery or an attack, said Dr. Jack Mahoney, the company's director of strategic health care initiatives. (FOX61, CT)
Shares Decline on Evidence of Weaker Economy, Led by Circle K; Canon Gains Sep 28, 2007
6 percent, to 3,450 after it won U.S. approval for a new blood-pressure treatment that combines its Benicar with the active ingredient in Pfizer Inc.'s Norvasc. Takefuji Corp., the country's No. 4 consumer lender, jumped 125 yen, or 5. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
Drug cost inflation slowed by generics Sep 21, 2007
In the past year and a half alone, generic equivalents have become available for the cholesterol treatment Zocor, the sleeping pill Ambien, and the blood pressure drug Norvasc. Another factor could be the so-called effect. (Boston Globe)
Missing Forest for the Trees Sep 19, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration will decide later this month on an application for Azor for high blood pressure, but it merely combines Forest's Benicar with Pfizer's () Norvasc, a combination similar to one already approved. And in November it will decide on another high blood pressure drug, nebivolol. (SmartMoney)
Generics sweeten price of medicine Generics sweeten price ofmedicine Sep 16, 2007
HYPERTENSION Original brand: Norvasc $36. 38 Generic brands: Amlodipine, Sandoz, Perivasc or Amlo $30. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Americans spend most on Lipitor, drug survey finds Sep 13, 2007
5 billion on Pfizer's Norvasc, a calcium channel blocker drug that treats high blood pressure and chest pain. The survey did not include spending on generic and over-the-counter drugs, which are far cheaper than prescription drugs that have few or no generic rivals. (Scientific American)
Omnicom Acquires Leading Healthcare Marketing Communications Firm in China Sep 4, 2007
Brands launched include Lipitor, Enbrel, Plavix and the re- launch of Norvasc. For further information on Omnicom and its brands, please visit. (PR Newswire)
Losing Lipitor Aug 23, 2007
Zoloft, the antidepressant, and Norvasc, its big-selling hypertension drug, were the culprits in the second quarter. And Lipitor is being hurt by copycat versions of its old rival, Merck's (nyse: - - ) Zocor, which will get cheaper and cheaper due to competition among generic drug makers. (Forbes -- Business)
Pfizer's New CFO Aug 23, 2007
But it is facing similar problems, as big-selling drugs like Zoloft, for depression, and Norvasc, for hypertension, lose patent protection. New medicines aren't likely to come to the rescue by themselves. (Forbes -- Business)
Analysts Foresee Golden Age Of Generic Medication Aug 10, 2007
" Last week, the big drug-maker Johnson & Johnson announced it would cut up to 4,800 jobs as it braces for generic competition to two of its drugs, Risperdal for schizophrenia and Topamax for seizures and migraine headaches. In the past year, combined U.S. sales of the drugs were $4 billion. Shortly after the Johnson & Johnson statement, Sanofi-Aventis announced it had been hard hit by low-cost alternatives to its sleeping pill Ambien, which became available in generic form in April. As... (Tampa Bay Online, FL -- News)
Teradyne net income drops 66% Jul 19, 2007
Pfizer Inc. reaffirmed its full-year guidance despite a 48 percent drop in second-quarter profit because of lagging sales of cholesterol drug Lipitor and generic competition for Zoloft and Norvasc. A disappointing 13 percent drop in Lipitor sales marked a sharp turnaround from growth of 8 percent in the first quarter. (Boston Globe)
Pfizer Profit Falls 48 Percent Jul 19, 2007
Drugmaker Pfizer Inc. said Wednesday, July 18, 2007 its second-quarter profit fell 48 percent year-over-year, hurt by the loss of patent exclusivity for its Zoloft and Norvasc drugs and by sluggish sales of blockbuster cholesterol drug, Lipitor, in the United States ... Pfizer Inc. reaffirmed its full-year guidance Wednesday despite a 48 percent drop in second-quarter profit because of lagging sales of cholesterol drug Lipitor and generic competition for Zoloft and Norvasc ... Also, both Zoloft... (ABC News -- Wire)
Amphenol reports 2Q net income of $84M Jul 19, 2007
Pfizer Inc.'s second-quarter earnings fell 48 percent compared with a year ago, amid lagging sales of Lipitor and generic competition for Zoloft and Norvasc, the company reported Wednesday ... Also, both Zoloft and Norvasc lost patent exclusivity last year and generic competition has eaten away at Pfizer's market share. (New Haven Register, CT)
eBay profits rise 50 percent in second quarter Jul 19, 2007
Pfizer Inc. Despite a 48 percent drop in second-quarter profit because of lagging sales of cholesterol drug Lipitor and generic competition for Zoloft and Norvasc, Pfizer reaffirmed its full-year guidance yesterday. Net income slid to $1. (Newsday -- Business)
Lipitor slide hits Pfizer profits Jul 19, 2007
Pfizer has also been hit by the loss of patents on its blood pressure drug Norvasc and anti-depressant Zoloft. Pfizer admitted that it had faced a difficult second quarter, but that it was still "on track" to meet previously announced 2007 and 2008 revenue targets. (BBC News -- Business)
Rally Ends on Housing Concerns Jul 19, 2007
Pfizer () reported a steep drop in second-quarter profits after the loss of patent exclusivity of Zoloft and Norvasc, the company said Wednesday in a. Excluding one-time items, Pfizer earned $2. (SmartMoney)
S&P Picks and Pans: Bear Stearns, Altria, Pfizer, Pulte Jul 19, 2007
Impacted by exclusivity losses on Zoloft and Norvasc, as well as by weaker Lipitor sales, second quarter adjusted EPS sank 16% to 42 cents, 8 cents below our forecast. U.S. sales of Lipitor, Pfizer's largest-selling drug, dropped 25%, reflecting changes in wholesaler inventories, and competitive pressures. (BusinessWeek)
Pfizer Profits Fall 48 Percent Jul 18, 2007
NEW YORK -- Drugmaker Pfizer Inc. said Wednesday its second-quarter profit fell 48 percent year-over-year, hurt by the loss of patent exclusivity for its Zoloft and Norvasc drugs and by sluggish sales of blockbuster cholesterol drug, Lipitor, in the U.S. ... "While there's no question that we faced difficult challenges in the second quarter of 2007 -- including the impact of the loss of U.S. exclusivity for Zoloft and Norvasc, the timing of some expenses and Lipitor's performance in the U.S. --... (Newsday -- Business)
Novartis Profit Rises 18 Percent on Diovan Heart Medicine; Growth to Slow Jul 17, 2007
The drug is a once-a-day combination of Diovan and amlodioine, the active ingredient in Pfizer Inc.'s Norvasc. In April, Novartis bought rights to Cytos Biotechnology AG's experimental vaccine to fight nicotine addiction for as much as 600 million Swiss francs ($499 million) and agreed to spend as much as $890 million on two experimental cancer drugs to enter a market dominated by Swiss rival Roche Holding AG and its partner Genentech Inc.. (Bloomberg -- Europe)
