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

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (6459)	12/9/1998 8:29:00 PM
From: BigKNY3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9523

Merck -- 2 (confident can overcome 'patent expiration challenge') 12/09/98 AFX News At a meeting with analysts at the company headquarters today, Gilmartin said the company is confident that that it can overcome what he described as "the patent expiration challenge". Merck has introduced five of the 14 new products this year, and all "are at the very early stages of their product life cycles with room for significant growth," he said. Merck plans to invest 2.1 bln usd in 1999, up 14 pct from the 1998 projected amount, to discover and develop new medicines. David Anstice, president of human health for the Americas, said Merck will add 700 new sales representatives, in part to support the expected upcoming launch of Vioxx, the company's treatment for arthritis which is currently under review by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Gilmartin said five drugs introduced this year -- Singulair for asthma, Maxalt for migraines, Aggrastat for cardiovascular disorders, Propecia for male pattern hair loss and Cosopt for glaucoma -- are performing above the company's targets. Company executives said Zocor, Merck's cholesterol-lowering drug, is seeing its market share stabilize in 1998. They attributed this to the promotion of new indications for stroke prevention and triglycerides reduction. Fosamax, Merck's medicine to treat and prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis and reduce the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis, continues to be the leading non-hormonal treatment for osteoporosis worldwide despite new competition, Merck executives said. Cozaar/Hyzaar, Merck's angiotensin II antagonist, also continued its market leadership in 1998 due to its "excellent tolerability profile and proven efficacy in treating high blood pressure, despite new competition in this class." In 1998, Crixivan remained the most widely prescribed protease inhibitor for the treatment of HIV/AIDS worldwide. "Despite the complex, challenging and highly regulated market environment, Merck continues to do well in Europe," said Per Wold-Olsen, president of Merck's human health group in Europe. Per Lofberg, president of the company's Merck-Medco managed mare group, said that Merck-Medco continued its strong performance in 1998 and strengthened its position as the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager. He said Merck-Medco's growth was fueled by major new accounts gained in all market segments.

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (6459)	12/11/1998 2:40:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9523

European Commission Committee Approves Ban on Feed Additives Bloomberg News December 11, 1998, 12:51 p.m. ET European Commission Committee Approves Ban on Feed Additives Brussels, Dec. 11 (Bloomberg) -- A European Commission committee voted to ban two chemicals used as additives in animal feed in a decision that could raise farm costs just as producers face plunging incomes. The European Commission is expected to formally approve the standing committee for animal nutrition's decision next week, officially banning carbadox and olaquindox, which are both used to boost growth in livestock. The ban, which is part of EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler's efforts to improve food safety, would come as commodity prices have slid because of rising inventories and the loss of Russian and Asian exports. In November, British farm leaders said U.K. farm incomes fell by more than 50 percent in 1998. Four antibiotics have already been banned from use as feed additives, citing concern that humans could become immune to certain medicines after eating meat from animals fed with antibiotics. The two feed additives could pose a risk of cancer in humans preparing the feed and giving it to the animals, Fischler said when he proposed the ban last week. Enough committee members in today's vote approved the plan, signaling formal approval is likely next week. Spokesmen for Bayer AG, which originally patented olaquindox, and Pfizer Corp., which originally developed carbadox, said last week they wouldn't be badly affected by a ban, since the patents on the products have expired and most are now produced by other companies outside the EU. --Anne Brockhoff in the London newsroom (44 171) 330-7100/tc