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Biotech / Medical : VVUS: VIVUS INC. (NASDAQ) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RT who wrote (18347)	1/29/1999 10:54:00 AM
From: Mkilloran	Respond to of 23519

RT...Vivus still deals direct with the V.A. as well as managed care providers ...that's what was said in the conf call. The other item of importance is that domestic inventories were depleted in the 4th qtr...so new sales and new stocking in the USA will add to revenue in the 1st qtr. I agree we need a partner...my guess is that they are waiting on Astra/Zeneca to wrap up their merger before we see a deal signed. My guess it will happen in the second qtr...just my opinion.

To: RT who wrote (18347)	1/29/1999 1:54:00 PM
From: DaiS	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 23519

RT, I agree with you about US, no coat-tail effect, no increase from viagra safety reaction. But the turn around and market share in muse sales in UK and Sweden is very encouraging, shows I guess what marketing can do….and without actis! When I first started posting I mentioned a conversation that I had with a specialist during early muse period in UK. He was very enthusiastic about muse and actually used the cliché "gold standard". Later, just at the time viagra became available here he was less enthusiastic, but he said, "Well even viagra only works on 50% of men." I spoke to him again this week. Now he is all for viagra - effective in most men, including men for whom nothing else had worked, few serious side effects in men who can take it. DaiS: "Last time we spoke, you said that Viagra was effective in only 50% of men." Doc: "No, no I was talking then about muse." He was not - this is the truth! But I don't blame him that he had forgotten our earlier conversation. He is still switched on to muse or injections for men who cannot use viagra, but it does appear that he has fallen in love a little with viagra. Contrast this with the doctor who runs the local ED clinic that I also reported. He had experience of both viagra and muse and his enthusiasm for muse was undiminished post viagra. I asked both docs about food and the delayed action effect of viagra. I said something to the effect that it's difficult a romantic dinner as prelude. The first doc said that of course you need careful planning with viagra, but he thought it not a problem. The second said that of course you need careful planning with viagra and thought it a problem. I sometimes have a go at docs, but the fact is that no doc can do his own singing and dancing double blind placebo controlled trial with bells on. And the scientists that do these trials are rarely completely objective having pet theories they are reluctant, even subconsciously, to disprove. I believe that both the docs above would do the best for their patients. The point I want to make as that the battle for the hearts and minds is a very tough one. Maybe Astra and Janssen are winning out. But I am worried still that Vivus have blown it in the US, a real battle to recover…..and how many PCPs and urologists are there in the US and if they each gave out one muse script a month. DaiS