Merck and Schering-Plough plan to develop a new cholesterol drug that combines their Zetia with atorvastatin, the active ingredient in Pfizer's Lipitor [1]. Their plan is to introduce the new combo pill once Lipitor, which earned $12.9 billion last year alone, loses patent protection as early as 2010 [2]. It's likely to be a successful formula. Vytorin, which combines Zetia with Merck's Zocor, earned $2 billion in U.S. sales last year. Merck says data indicates that a combination of Lipitor and Zetia works significantly better than Lipitor alone.
- see the press release [3] for more
- read the report AP report [4] on the new drug
Related Articles:
Cholesterol drugs go head-to-head in trial. Report [5]
Pfizer halts Torcetrapib development. Report [6]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/pfizer-wins-key-lipitor-ruling-in-uk-court/2005-10-12
[2] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/investors-cheer-lipitor-patent-decision/2005-12-19
[3] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/node/6162
[4] http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/26/ap3551091.html
[5] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/cholesterol-drugs-go-head-to-head-in-trial/2006-06-19
[6] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/pfizer-halts-torcetrapib-development/2006-12-04