Pfizer Proves It Can Do More with Lipitor - Protecting Vital Access to Patients at the Heart of Winning Managed Care Strategy

Business Wire, August 30, 2007

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. -- With Lipitor's formulary access constricting due to generic competition and looming patent expiration, Pfizer aims to extend the health of its flagship cholesterol reducer with an aggressive promotional regimen rivaling that of a new drug in its launch phase. During the first half of 2007 Lipitor was the most-promoted drug to leading pharmacy executives, according to Cognet~X's PAR-Rx (Promotional Assessment Research) Report[TM].

At the center of this effort is Pfizer's strategy to maintain, and in some cases regain, "preferred" access to Lipitor for millions of Americans whose drug coverage is controlled by a managed care plan's formulary.

The crowded cholesterol-reducing market includes generic Zocor (simvastatin), AstraZeneca's Crestor and Merck/Schering-Plough's Vytorin. During the same period, PAR-Rx promotional activity of these two branded competitors was little more than half of Lipitor's.

To preserve valuable access and market share, Pfizer is offering more flexible contract and rebate terms, PAR-Rx panelists report:

    "Contract offered for Lipitor with Tier 2 (preferred) status
    without any step therapy or prior authorization restrictions."

    "Discussed adding Lipitor to formulary if they would pay rebates
    on step therapy."

    "Contract amendment lowering the threshold for rebates as the
    result of a national survey."

    "Pfizer had refused when asked to offer a rebate if step edited;
    once non-preferred they tried to submit such an offer."

Nonetheless, challenges remain for the blockbuster nearest to Pfizer's heart:

    "We recently removed Lipitor from formulary due to simvastatin
    generic."

    "Discussed position on formulary secondary to patent expiration."

    "Discussion of decreasing market share of Lipitor due to
    contracting, including generics in the market basket."

"Managed markets access and reimbursement are critical to every brand's success, and Pfizer seems aggressively committed to keeping Lipitor's market share healthy for as long as possible in the product's life cycle," said Sharon Bender, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives at Cognet~X. "Because Lipitor is vitally important to Pfizer's bottom line, the company will continue to 'do more' to make the brand attractive to managed care."

Rounding out the top 5 most-promoted products to PAR-Rx panelists in the first half of 2007, were:

2nd - Abbott Laboratories' rheumatoid arthritis therapy Humira, which recently gained a new indication for Crohn's disease

3rd - Merck's Januvia/Janumet, new oral treatments for Type 2 diabetes

4th - Novartis' Tekturna, the first direct renin inhibitor marketed to treat hypertension

5th - Daiichi Sankyo/Forest Laboratories' Benicar line, for hypertension

About the PAR-Rx Report

Cognet~X's PAR-Rx Report is a year-round service that provides the pharmaceutical and biotech industry with timely, Internet-based competitive intelligence on pharmaceutical company promotion to influential managed care pharmacy executives. The Report offers Cognet~X clients the ability to evaluate and analyze variable differences that are critically important to their decision-making process.

About Cognet~X

Cognet~X is a privately held, employee-owned healthcare research, consulting and software development firm based in Bucks County, PA. The company's focus is providing and developing business intelligence solutions centered on the managed care marketplace for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

For more information about the PAR-Rx Report[TM] or other Cognet~X services, please contact:

Sharon Bender, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives 215-396-8300 x148 (sharonb@cognetx.com) or

Rick Bourland, Executive Director, Sales & Marketing 215-396-8300 x103 (rickb@cognetx.com)