Bernie, LGND's alliance partners should be able to take products to market fairly quickly. Last week the top 10 pharacuetical sales forces were listed and LGND has alliances with 6 of the 10 (including 4 of the top 5):
Pfizer Labs Remains Top Sales Force with Doctors
NEWTOWN, Pa.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 22, 1998--
Pharmaceutical Sales Forces Most Valued by Physicians
1. Pfizer Labs
2. SmithKline Beecham
3. Wyeth-Ayerst
4. Merck
5. Glaxo
6. Bristol-Myers Squibb
7. SmithKline & French
8. Parke-Davis
9. Eli Lilly
10. Schering
Source: Scott-Levin, Sales Force Structures & Strategies 1997-98
For the third straight year, the Pfizer Labs sales force was rated first collectively by
U.S. physicians in nine key specialty groups: general/family practitioners, internal
medicine specialists, cardiologists, obstetricians/gynecologists, pediatricians, general
surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, gastroenterologists and psychiatrists.
Pfizer Labs also finished No. 1 among general practitioners for the third consecutive
year.
A major new product launch and a high-profile co-promotional arrangement helped
Pfizer maintain its top position among the nine core specialty groups. In 1997, the
company introduced the Alzheimer's disease therapy Aricept and began
co-promoting Lipitor, Parke-Davis' powerful new cholesterol reducer. To help
support these new launches, Pfizer added the 650-rep Powers field force to its
already formidable sales organization.
New indications for the antidepressant Zoloft also boosted Pfizer's reputation in
1997. The brand was approved to treat panic disorder in adults and
obsessive-compulsive disorder in children as young as 6. Zoloft previously was
cleared to treat OCD in adults.
These rankings come from Sales Force Structures & Strategies 1997-98, the 10th
edition of the longest-running study of pharmaceutical sales forces, performed
annually by the health care consulting firm Scott-Levin. Twenty-eight physician
specialty groups were surveyed for this year's study.
Other leaders among sales forces were Merck, rated first by internal medicine
specialists, cardiologists, rheumatologists and infectious disease specialists;
Wyeth-Ayerst, tops with OB/GYNs, orthopedic surgeons and physical medicine and
rehabilitation specialists; SmithKline Beecham, No. 1 among general surgeons and
neurosurgeons; Schering, first with allergists and otorhinolaryngologists; Astra Merck,
the favorite among gastroenterologists; Lilly, ranked first by psychiatrists; and Ross,
tops with pediatricians
For more information on the study, contact Art McKee at 215/860-0440; fax:
215/860-5477; e-mail: art@scottlevin.com.
CONTACT: Scott-Levin, Newtown
Art McKee, 215/860-0440
scottlevin.com |
