Vytorin Will Be A Third-Line Treatment: Docs
9 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // February 20th, 2008 // 7:34 am
A new survey of 150 internists, general practitioners and cardiologists finds that all three groups expect to prescribe the cholesterol pill less often as a first-line treatment or even as a second-line treatment.
Among general practitions, the use of Vytorin is expected to drop by 20 percent as a first-line treatment; a drop of 9 percent among cardiologists and 7 percent among internists. Meanwhile, usage as a second-line medication is expected to drop across all specialties by 8 to 14 percent of patients. In third-line treatment, however, Vytorin prescriptions received a boost from 20 to 30 percent, according to GfK Market Measures.
Moreover, general practitioners say they will switch more than 40 percent of their patients currently on Vytorin or Zetia to other therapies over the next few months. In comparison, cardiologists and internists participating in the research study anticipate making the switch among a smaller portion of their patients, ranging from 25 percent to 30 percent. (Please click on the chart to make it bigger).
“In light of the Enhance trial result impact, there is obviously an opportunity over the next several months for Lipitor and Crestor to capture additional market share,” says Anna Marie Napolitano, vice president and category business leader, cardiovascular, GfK Market Measures, in a statement. “With physicians counseling patients to wait until their next visit to discuss alternative therapies, Merck and Schering are challenged to provide credible evidence of advantages to maintain existing patients on the drugs, particularly as the FDA’s review and report on the trial are not expected until later this year.”
Dan
The conclusions of this post are the direct result of the perception created carelessly by the makers of this med.
BDM
For the dedicated, hard-working Schering-Plough and Merck employees, this is very bad news. Unfortunately, the top executives, particularly at Schering-Plough, have created a huge mess that could take quite a long time to clean up. Most of it could probably have been avoided if they had made better choices along the way.
John Smith
Again, the working men and women of this country continue to get Sh** on!!! I am sure the bean counters at both Merck and Schering alike are thinking about their golden parachute plans!!!
WBP
Honestly, this is probably where Vytorin and Zetia should be. The studies in which they demonstrated “superior” cholesterol-lowering effects compared with atorvastatin and rosuvastain were so large that even the addition of oatmeal would have shown a significant difference. They were incredibly over-powered because MSP wanted to show at least a little better result than the more powerful statins!
CJ
2 drugs always work better than 1, thats a no brainer dumb ass. Plus no one mentions that generic sima is where all the scripts are going to now, even though enhance showed taking simva 80 didnt do shit for someone with LDL of 320, basically if your LDL is 320, you are f…ed cause of your genes and nothin can help
CV MD
CJ,
Your post is completely uncalled for and inappropriate for Pharmalot. You’re acting like a marketing geek or a sales rep. You should go back to CafePharma where insults and foul language are the norm instead of the exception. If you have no facts to back up your statement, then denigrate the other person. The mantra of big pharma!
Cristian
We will never know the truth about these drugs that seem to be getting cheaper and cheaper because of the strong competition on the market. i am actually quite worried because cheaper means also poor quality and that is not something that I am ready to accept. http://www.interventions.mobi/30/drug-treatment-is-what-you-make-out-of-it/
Justice in MI
Just seconding CV re: CJ’s “comment.” Yikes.
To get to the science for a moment, two drugs do not always work better than one. Sometimes one interferes with the efficacy of the other, even nullifying it. This was particularly true of some of the double antibiotics that were popular back in the 50s and 60s.
Dr. Sal Giorgianni
CJ
Civility is important to us here on Pharmalot.