Hi all,
The press release below is fyi on why I think Viracept's European revenues might ramp slowly after approval and launch. Biogen's Avonex is the superior MS drug on the market. It's been on the market in the US since c. 5/96, and was launched in Europe 3/97. Total sales for the just ended Q4 WW were $70M (primarily in the US), with $10M of that in Europe.
I would guess like most therapeutic areas, MS is roughly the same size market in the US and Europe. The product has had a much slower ramp in Europe over the US, and Biogen attributes it to the complexities of gaining reimbursement and pricing in the individual countries.
I don't know much about the PI market, though ... and a faster ramp may be possible. Plus Roche may have more clout in gaining reimbursement decisions, and more marketing muscle on the street in the various European countries than Biogen does.
Peter
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Biogen, Inc.
Biogen's AVONEX (Interferon Beta-1a) Maintains #1
Position in U.S. MS Market at End of First Full Year on
the Market
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Biogen's AVONEX(R) (Interferon
beta-1a) is the
market leader among multiple sclerosis therapies in the U.S. and is at
the front end of a major
sales-growth opportunity in Europe, Jim Tobin, Chief Executive Officer,
said today at the annual
Hambrecht & Quist Life Sciences Conference. The Company anticipates
announcing record sales
and net income for 1997. The Company will report fourth quarter
AVONEX(R) sales of
approximately $70 million worldwide and European AVONEX(R) sales of
approximately $10
million. The Company also expects to announce fourth- quarter earnings
in excess of 40 cents per
share and earnings of more than $1.15 for the full year of 1997.
Mr. Tobin said that approximately 35,000 patients worldwide are now
taking AVONEX(R) for
relapsing forms of MS, including approximately 31,000 patients in the
United States. European sales
have doubled each quarter since market launches began in March 1997.
Most recently, Biogen
launched AVONEX(R) in France last month, after receiving pricing and
reimbursement approval
from local regulatory authorities.
Mr. Tobin said, ''After 20 months on the U.S. market, the votes are in
-- and AVONEX(R) is the
drug of choice. Sales have continued to increase quarter-over-quarter.
The fourth quarter of 1997
was the strongest growth quarter we have seen since early in the launch,
driven by our 'treat early'
message in the U.S. and increasing penetration in Europe. ...... |
