Pfizer sees "awesome" Viagra sales in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. drugs giant Pfizer
Inc PFE.N expects "awesome sales" of its impotence drug
Viagra in Malaysia, the local Sunday Mail newspaper reported.
The company has been getting hundreds of calls daily
enquiring about the drug, Radzmi Rahmat, managing director of
Pfizer in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, was quoted saying.
The drug is awaiting Health Ministry approval and is
expected to be available in Malaysia in three months' time.
"Even by conservative estimates, the probable sales figures
are rather mind-boggling," Radzmi said.
The drug costs $10 a pill in the United States, equivalent
to 40 Malaysian ringgit.
Radzmi, who is also president of the Pharmaceutical
Association of Malaysia, estimated that Viagra would be sought
by about half a million Malaysian men when it is introduced
here.
"Assuming each man consumes an average of four tablets a
month, this totals to one man spending approximately 1,900
ringgit a year. Multiply this by the 500,000 men estimated to
be wanting to take Viagra -- and it comes up close to one
billion ringgit a year," he said.
Radzmi said 65 Malaysians have tried the drug in a
six-month clinical trial that ended in March.
"Based on the doctors' comments, the patients were very
satisfied. In fact, these are the men who want the government
to approve the drug as soon as possible," he said.
($=3.9 ringgit)
REUTERS
Rtr 01:49 06-21-98
Copyright 1998, Reuters News Service |
