Monday April 6, 12:09 pm Eastern Time
New prescriptions for Lilly's Evista fall
CHICAGO, April 6 (Reuters) - New prescriptions for Evista, an Eli Lilly & Co. osteoporosis drug, fell in the week ended March 27 -- the first dip in the closely watched figure since the drug's launch,
said health care data firm IMS America.
New prescriptions written for the drug totalled 8,396 on the week, down from 8,451 in the preceding week, IMS said.
Total prescriptions, which include refills, were 12,093 for the week ended March 27, up from 11,707 in the preceding week ended March 20, IMS said.
Shares in Indianapolis-based drug maker Lilly were off 4/16 at 58-5/16 on the New York Stock Exchange.
''I believe that the fundamentals are still very strong for Lilly and that they will still be able to put some momentum in Evista later in the year,'' said James Keeney, drug industry analyst at ABN AMRO.
Lilly's stock price has been frequently affected in recent weeks by prescription data for Evista, known generically as raloxifene and launched late last year amid high expectations.
As weekly prescription data have come in from IMS, industry analysts have steadily reduced their sales forecasts for the drug, calling its launch disappointing.
By contrast, analysts said weekly prescriptions data for Lilly's Zyprexa, an anti-schizophrenia drug, are strong.
In addition, analysts said, Evista is expected later this year to be shown to have some value in fighting breast cancer, possibly enhancing its usefulness.
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