Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

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

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (6347)	11/25/1998 4:07:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9523

Financial Side Effects of the relabeling from a CBS MarketWatch article: Financial side effects Most analysts doubt the new labels will have much of an effect on the Viagra sales or Pfizer stock. "Given the great deal of attention this product has received in the press, we find it difficult to believe that the majority of physicians and patients prescribing and using the drug are not already aware of the these effects," Merrill Lynch analyst Steven Tighe wrote to clients. In recent trading, Pfizer was up 1/16 to 114 3/16. Viagra, the first drug of its kind, was first made available in April and quickly became the fastest growing new drug ever. It's still a big seller, but once vigorous demand for the drug has tapered off. In the third quarter, Viagra sales shrank to $140 million from $400 million in the second quarter, but now appear to have stabilized. The launch of the drug in Europe and Japan is likely to give a jolt to sales, however. "Th drug's unique mechanism and lack of competition should permit it to maintain prescription sales in a fast-growing market," Warburg Dillon Read analyst Jerome Brimeyer told clients. He maintains his "buy" rating. Of the more than 130 men who have died after taking the drug, nearly three-quarters had symptoms of heart trouble. Sixteen users were also taking nitrate-based drugs at the same time, which the company and government had previously warned against. The new labels, while more clearly underscoring those dangers, also highlight the risks for patients who also suffer from retinitis pigmentosa, and discusses the rare problem of priapisms, or extended, painful erections. cbs.marketwatch.com