10-05-98 Scott-Levin - Antidepressants: The Buoyant Market
Promotion of Antidepressants
Product Company # of Reps*
Zoloft Pfizer 2,436
Paxil SmithKline Beecham/Janssen 2,203
Serzone Bristol-Myers Squibb/Cephalon 1,855
Prozac Eli Lilly 1,820
Effexor XR American Home Products 1,410
Wellbutrin SRGlaxo Wellcome 1,200
Remeron Organon 780
Luvox Solvay/Pharmacia & Upjohn 735
* As of Sept. 1, 1998
NEWTOWN, Pa. (Oct. 5, 1998)--In late July, Forest Labs' Celexa
became the ninth antidepressant approved since Eli Lilly
rejuvenated and expanded the market in 1988 with Prozac's launch.
Forest licensed U.S. marketing rights to Celexa from Lundbeck;
Parke-Davis will co-promote the selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitor (SSRI).
Forest chose Parke-Davis to co-promote Celexa because of
Parke-Davis' experience in the central nervous system market.
Parke-Davis has an established CNS specialty sales force that
currently promotes the anticonvulsants Neurontin and Cerebyx.
Recent events and activity in the antidepressant market are
outlined in the current issue of The Top Line, a newsletter on
pharmaceutical marketing published by the health care consulting
firm Scott-Levin.
Some highlights:
Pfizer's Zoloft is the leader in terms of support with 2,436
reps promoting the product. Heavy rep support is a hallmark
of Pfizer's marketing strategy.
SmithKline Beecham's Paxil is promoted by 2,203 reps. In
addition to Paxil, SB and Janssen co-promote the latter's
antipsychotic, Risperdal. At press time of this report, SB
announced that it had selected a second co-promotion partner
for Paxil, Scios, which will have 90 reps detailing the
brand.
Bristol-Myers Squibb's Serzone is a versatile product that
can be used for depression and anxiety. Reps from Cephalon,
BMS' co-promotion partner for Serzone, detail the drug to
neurologists, while BMS promotes it to psychiatrists and
general practitioners.
Lilly's market-leading SSRI, Prozac, is promoted by 1,820
reps. The company has a follow-up, duloxetine, in Phase III
development. Duloxetine, a once-daily antidepressant, is
expected to go before FDA sometime this year.
American Home Products promotes Effexor XR with 1,410 reps.
This brand differs from SSRIs in that it inhibits both the
hormone norepinephrine and the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Effexor XR, the extended-release version of Effexor, was
being co-promoted by Scios. However, that agreement was
terminated earlier this year.
Glaxo Wellcome's Wellbutrin SR, the sustained-release
version of Wellbutrin, is promoted by 1,200 reps, including
a force of part-time reps from PDI. Unlike some SSRIs,
including Prozac, Wellbutrin SR has a low incidence of
sexual side effects such as decreased sex drive and
impotence.
Organon promotes its antidepressant, Remeron, with 780 reps.
Remeron, a presynaptic alpha-receptor blocker with SSRI
properties, is said to have a cleaner side effect profile
than Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil. To date, though, Remeron has
not made a significant dent in the depression market.
Solvay's Luvox is detailed by 735 reps; Pharmacia & Upjohn
co-promotes the product. Luvox was the first SSRI approved
for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The drug has become
a standard for OCD, but lags behind in the depression
market.
Pharmacia & Upjohn is awaiting approval of Edronax, a
selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Analysts don't
expect Edronax to be commercially successful due to an
overcrowded antidepressant market.
For more information, please contact Bryna Elder at (215)
860-0440; fax: (215) 860-5477; email@scottlevin.com.
Scott-Levin, a division of PMSI/Scott-Levin Inc., provides
consulting and communications services to pharmaceutical
companies worldwide, including audits of pharmaceutical
promotion. Visit Scott-Levin on the World Wide Web at
scottlevin.com.
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