Forty doctors were asked by Merrill Lynch analyst Dave Risinger for their thoughts on the new diabetes pill now that it’s been available for six months, and 23 percent say they’re very satisfied and another 68 percent feel somewhat satisifed with efficacy. And 60 percent are satisfied with the lack of sidef effects. Another 28 percent are somewhat satisfied on that point.

“Januvia usage should maintain strong growth,” writes Risinger in an investor note this morning.

Here’s why: the docs estimate that the percentage of their Type 2 diabetic patients on Januvia could grow from 10 percent now to 24 percent a year from now, and 97 percent expect their use of Januvia to increase either significantly - 33 percent - or moderately - 65 percent. On average, the docs are wrting about 25 Januvia scrips a month, and predict writing 55 per month in a year.

Meanwhile, metformin remains the drug of first choice but the docs overwhelmingly prefer Januvia over sulfonylurea, by 68 percent to 33 percent. And while docs generally don’t like combo pills, these docs indicated that, on average, 58 percent of their patients could be on Janumet, compared with 42 percent on Januvia and metformin as separate pills.

More good news for Merck, and more bad news for Novartis.

On a related note, Janumet is priced at $4.86 per day, the same as Januvia, which Risinger believes “should facilitate managed care coverage.”
[tags]Galvus, Janumet, Januvia, Merck, Novartis, Type 2 Diabetes[/tags]