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Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (321)	6/15/1998 8:00:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

Pfizer hard at work on Viagra improvements Last Update: 05:18 PM June 15, 1998 NEW YORK (AP) -- Moving to protect its wildly successful impotence drug, Pfizer Inc. is working to develop a second-generation Viagra pill without the side effects. In a Sandwich, England, laboratory, where Pfizer (PFE) researchers first discovered a failed angina drug gave erections to medical students, the search is on for what might be called Viagra light. The scientists are doing follow-up research for an improved pill based on sildenafil, the drug now used in the diamond-shaped blue pill, spokeswoman Mariann Caprino said Monday. ''Whether that will result in a product ten years down the road, I don't know,'' Ms. Caprino said. Viagra became a drug industry phenomenon by working about as well as previous anti-impotence drugs without the discomfort of penile injections or suppositories. Now researchers hope to eliminate side effects experienced by some Viagra users. They include blue-tinged vision, mild headaches and an incompatibility with some heart drugs that may have contributed to the deaths of some of the 16 men who have died after taking the drug. The fine-tuning comes as the company pursued follow-up studies on whether Viagra helps patients with diabetes, depression and multiple sclerosis. ''We're certainly very optimistic that the results will be positive,'' Ms. Caprino said. Pfizer scientists in Europe are also pursuing early-stage tests in Europe to see if the drug aids women with sexual dysfunction, as are private researchers at Boston University. Pfizer officials did not outline the company's research. But the New York-based drug maker is said to be devoting part of its mammoth $2 billion research budget to a version of Viagra that would go under the tongue like some heart medicines, acting within minutes. As Viagra's sales rise, so does its potential competition. Zonagen, a Texas drug maker, hopes to have an impotence pill called Vasomax on the market by the end of the year that would take less time to work than the half-hour to an hour Viagra takes. Pentech Pharmaceuticals of Wheeling, Ill., has a drug in late-stage testing for both impotence and Parkinson's disease. Other big drug makers, such as Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly & Co. and New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., are looking to make the drugs from scratch, through partnerships or from drugs now slated for other uses. Icos Corp., TAP Holdings and BioTechnology General are working on rival treatments. But topping Viagra would be tough. First-of-a-kind drugs tend to retain their market dominance even after me-too products reach drug store shelves unless the newer drugs are dramatically more effective, analysts say. Since it was introduced in March, doctors have written 1.7 million prescriptions for 1 million Viagra patients. ''Viagra right now is the most effective oral medication out there,'' said Joseph P. Riccardo, drug industry analyst with Bear Stearns & Co. in New York. ''We're getting 50 to 60 percent effectiveness in use.'' cbs.marketwatch.com

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (321)	6/15/1998 8:07:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

Deadly Drug Duos, Time.com JUNE 22, 1998 VOL. 151 NO. 24 pathfinder.com

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (321)	6/15/1998 8:10:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1722

BBC: Combining sex drugs could be lethal Health: Latest News Monday, June 15, 1998 Published at 16:05 GMT 17:05 UK Combining the impotence wonder drug Viagra with the sexual stimulant Amyl Nitrate could endanger lives, experts have warned. Viagra has already been linked with the deaths of at least 16 men in the US, but all were suffering from heart conditions. Manufacturers Pfizer warn that Viagra should not be taken by men who are also taking nitroglycerin or other nitrate products for heart conditions. Now the Impotence Association has warned that even men with no history of heart disease could be at risk if they also take Amyl Nitrate. Heighten orgasm The drug, also known as poppers, is used to heightem the sensation of orgasm. It is particularly widely used in the gay community. Amyl Nitrate is a gold-coloured liquid which comes in small glass vials which are 'popped' open. Historically, it has been used to treat angina, but is mainly used today to treat emergency cases. When the vapours are inhaled blood pressure is reduced and the heart rate accelerates which produces a rushing sensation. The effects last from 30 seconds to five minutes. However, the reduction in blood pressure can result in loss of balance and fainting and puts extra pressure on the heart. In combination with Viagra the impact could potentially be devastating. Ann Craig, director of the Impotence Association, said: "Doctors have got to be very careful that people are not taking Amyl Nitrate before they prescribe Viagra." A helpline set up by the association has been inundated with calls about Viagra since the drug was launched in the US this spring. Flooded with calls In the first week of May alone the Impotence Association helpline received more than 3,000 calls - almost a quarter of the total for 1997. Calls have tailed off slightly since the news of deaths in the US. However Ms Craig said: "There are still a lot of people desperate for Viagra. There is a worry that people who are getting it should not be taking it. People need to be educated about the risks." Viagra is set to be given a British licence this autumn. The Impotence Association confidential helpline can be reached on 0181 767 7791. news.bbc.co.uk