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July 2007 »
Cialis gaining on Viagra
Monday July 30, 2007
When Eli Lilly and Co. thought about how to market its erectile-dysfunction drug in Italy, the answer seemed natural: hold a series of tango workshops to help couples revive their passions.
As a professional couple danced on stage, Lilly and its partners in medical associations provided counselors and medical experts to talk to consumers about sexual health problems.
How Cialis plays in Europe is important to Lilly, which recently won approval to market a one-a-day version of the erectile-dysfunction drug there. The company also hopes to get U.S. approval later this year.
Neither Viagra nor Levitra is sold in once-daily doses, which could give Lilly an edge.
The once-a-day version will be marketed for men who anticipate having sex two or more times a week, without confining it to a limited time.
The current dosage of Cialis works for about 36 hours. Viagra and the other major erectile-dysfunction drug, Levitra, work for about four hours.
Cialis trails rival Viagra in the U.S., but it’s the leader in 22 nations, from France to Mexico, in the $3 billion worldwide market for erectile dysfunction.
The pills all work the same way, by blocking an enzyme in men’s bodies, allowing men to get and maintain an erection.
Doctors say they expect Cialis’ once-a-day version to catch on. ”The baby boomer population is growing. I think a certain patient group could benefit. They want to take it now and be ready whenever,“ said Dr. Ronald Suh, who works at Urology of Indiana.
Some analysts say the once-a-day version could increase Lilly sales, but only modestly. But it could provide a steadier revenue stream than the current dosage of Cialis, which men take sporadically.
‘’Giving consumers more options is a positive step, but I don’t think it’s going to be a game-changing development for Lilly or the erectile-dysfunction market, at least in the short run,“ said Jason Fox, a drug analyst at H&R Block in Detroit.
‘’It seems more like a life-cycle management thing than something that’s completely new,“ said Les Funtleyder, an analyst at Miller Tabak & Co. in New York.
The erectile-dysfunction market continues to grow steadily, in high single-digit percentages, as the baby boomers get older and turn to the medicine cabinet for help in the bedroom.
Cialis has continued to gain market share every quarter since it was launched in 2003, Lilly said. And any continued improvement in Cialis results probably will help the bottom line at Lilly, which bought full control of the drug from partner Icos Corp. for $2.3 billion.
Lilly predicts Cialis sales will top $1 billion this year, giving it blockbuster status.
The company said in December that Cialis would become No. 1 outside the U.S. this year, beating out Viagra.
Lilly didn’t make any such predictions in the U.S., where Viagra continues to dominate. Still, Cialis’ U.S. market share climbed from 14 percent in 2003 to 27 percent last year, while Viagra’s fell from 73 percent to 56 percent in the same time, according to IMS Health.
Source: News.enquirer
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