UK uptake of vaccine boosts Wyeth
pharmafile | July 21, 2006 | News story | Sales and Marketing |Â Â Â
The long-awaited addition of Wyeth Prevnar to the UK's vaccination programme has helped the company increase revenues in the second quarter.
Prevnar is Wyeth's vaccine to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease in infants and young children, and achieved sales of $518 million for the period, up 60% over the second quarter last year.
Worldwide sales across the company's portfolio increased by 9% to $5.2 billion for the period and 8% to $10 billion for the first half of 2006, with positive news from the pipeline and its leading products.
A major factor behind this was Prevnar's addition to the UK's national immunisation programme, which had been delayed because of a dispute about how doctors would be paid to administer the jab.
Prevnar is one of the most expensive vaccines ever marketed, a factor which has slowed uptake in Europe since its launch in 2001. The product is, however, now gaining ground in Europe and was recently added to immunisation schedules in Greece, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Prevnar is the world's best selling vaccine and is now available in 66 countries worldwide.
Another top performer for the company was rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel, which saw sales rise 36% in the second quarter.
Efexor is also one of Wyeth's top sellers but its sales rose just 3%, reflecting a global antidepressant market experiencing a slowdown in growth.
"Wyeth continued its strong performance in the 2006 second quarter," said Robert Essner, Wyeth's chief executive. "Significant sales growth from Enbrel, Prevnar and most of our broad product portfolio, NDA filings for two new products, and the continuation of productivity initiatives including our pharmaceuticals sales force reorganisation have positioned us for further growth."
Tygacil, a new broad spectrum injectable antibiotic to treat so-called 'superbugs' has been approved and launched in Europe, following its launch in the US last summer.
Wyeth also filed drug applications for two new products (bazedoxifene for osteoporosis and desvenlafaxine succinate for vasomotor symptoms) and presented key phase III data on Torisel (temsirolimus) for advanced renal cell cancer.
Lybrel, the first ever contraceptive pill designed to be taken continuously is expected to gain final approval in the US shortly, while a new antidepressant DVS 233 is expected to get the nod in 2007.
