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Biotech / Medical : Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc (KOSP)
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To: James Silverman who wrote (20)11/12/1997 2:18:00 PM
From: Tom D  Read Replies (1) of 118
 
I think KOSP needs more work in marketing.

Two internists in my office have no knowledge of Niaspan. The other does, but he is conscientious about keeping up. I thinks we have gotten about four mailings. But no 1-on-1 meetings with the Kos druug rep yet. I notice that KOS said they were targeting high prescribers of cholesterol-lowering drugs. I don't know if this means cardiologists, or selected internists, as opposed to all internists.

Overall their marketing effort does not compare at all to what we are barraged with from the makers of Lipitor, Zocor, Lescol and Pravachol.
The only problem I see with Niaspan is that physicians have to ramp up the dose from 375 to 500 to 750 (these three are in the starter pack) to 1000 and then check blood tests in a few weeks. (When I phoned in a presecription for 1000 mg pills for a patient two days ago, the pharmacist at Walgreens had never heard of the medication and didn't have any 1000 mg pills. We had to use two 500's). The physicians have to then recheck blood tests on each higher dosage, until the patient is stabilized at a particular dose. But once a patient gets established on a dose, they should stay on it for life. This dosage rampup is a labor-intensive nuisance, but I think it is worth it, for my patients. My biggest problem is that the HMO's are not covering the medication yet.

There is the huge question of what kind of market share Niaspan will ultimately win. But right now we are just seeing the result of overly optimistic sales expectations crashing into reality. Just a slower-than-expected rampup of sales.

I don't pretend to know how low the stock will go. I will be a buyer of this stock in another fiscal quarter or two.

Best Regards,

Tom D
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