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Biotech / Medical : PFE (Pfizer) How high will it go? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jim Lamb who wrote (2608)	5/19/1998 3:55:00 PM
From: Don Dunlap	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 9523

Does anyone know the profit margin on this drug? Perhaps this has been discussed before on the thread, bit I did not see it in the posts immediately appearing on the screen. I am curious because some estimates have Pfizer at a 2Billion dollar a year drug. If it costs $1 to produce and distribute a $10 pill, this could add 1.8 Billion pre tax to the net income. This would almost quadruple the current net income. I failed to invest in Pfizer a year ago when I learned of Viagra. Now I am considering it. At the time, I figured it was like GM coming out with a new car model. Never underestimate the ability to sell sex!!! Particularly when it comes from a well known pharm company!

To: Jim Lamb who wrote (2608)	5/20/1998 3:26:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9523

Jim and thread, read this. You'll be amazed, NOT. They have Lipitor too. Wednesday, May 20, 1998 Cipla on course to develop new bulk drugs Anju Ghangurde MUMBAI, May 19: Even as domestic competition for a share of the sildenafil citrate market gathers momentum, the Rs 467-crore Cipla is already on course to developing several new bulk drugs like atorvastatin, lamivudine and nelfinavir to take on international competition. Cipla director Amar Lulla said the company's progress in developing such bulk drugs was an indication of its process research capabilities and sildenafil was just one among the few new molecules that the company was working on. Sildenafil citrate is the active ingredient in Pfizer's anti-impotence brand, Viagra. Significantly, Cipla had commenced development work on sildenafil in early 1997 as indicated in the company's annual report for the year ended March 31, 1997. While lamivudine and atorvastatin are in various stages of development, the company has already launched anti-AIDS drug, stavudine, branded Stavi in the Indian market. Atorvastatin is the key ingredient in Pfizer's Lipitor brand, a cradiovascular drug, while Glaxo iscredited with being the patent holder for lamivudine. Pfizer had launched Lipitor in key overseas markets in early 1997 as a therapy for treating elevated cholestrol and triglycerides. Lipitor had been discovered and developed by the Parke Davis research division of the Warner Lambert company. Pfizer and Warner Lambert have been collaborating on worldwide clinical development, marketing and sales support for Lipitor. Analysts say that "given its bag full of new products," backed by a cost-effective, process research driven sales thrust, Cipla is expected to buck the industry trend of more-or-less static growth. Cipla director Lulla also said that the company's own sildenafil citrate brand for the domestic market would be ready within six months even as he maintained that Cipla's application to the Drugs Controller of India was made at more-or-less the same time as Orchid Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals. Cipla's first export consignment is, however, expected to leave Indian shores as early as nextweek. Meanwhile, analysts say that there could be immense pressure on the pricing front for sildenafil citrate in the domestic market, given that more Indian companies are likely to try a grab a share of this market. "If Pfizer plans to bring in Viagra, the $10 per tablet tag may pose a major problem, just as pricing has played a significant role in the relaunch of its cardiovascular brand, Amlogard," an analyst added. Copyright c 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.