Merck’s Propecia Sales Force Is Thinning Out
Make a commentBy Ed Silverman // October 16th, 2007 // 2:44 pm
The drugmaker is eliminating 43 positions from its dermatology sales force, which peddles the baldness med. A Merck spokeswoman confirms the move will occur by April, presumably to give the sales reps an opportunity to find other jobs with the drugmaker.
She went onto explain the cuts reflect “shifting priorties,” much as Merck earlier this year eliminated 250 sales positions devoted to Fosamax, the osteoprosis med that faces patent expiration next year. Although Propecia doesn’t lose patent protection until 2013, sales are relatively modest - $98 million worldwide in this year’s second quarter, rising just 4 percent in the all-important US market.