Two new pills will challenge Viagra — with a ferocious marketing battle expected

[Guest guest]

(Apparently many of the older guys have been leaving their wives for younger

women after taking the pills.)

 

Posted on Sat, Jul. 19, 2003

 

Sex, drugs and profits

Two new pills will challenge Viagra — with a ferocious marketing battle

expected.

BY LINDA LOYD

Knight Ridder News Service

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/6336382.htm

 

The drugs are about sex and love, but for the pharmaceutical companies it's

war.

 

The famous blue pill Viagra that transformed treatment of sexual impotence

in men five years ago is about to face two new rivals.

 

Levitra, the erectile dysfunction drug from GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Bayer

AG, is expected to receive U.S. regulatory approval as early as next month —

just in time for a marketing blitz during National Football League games

this fall.

 

A third contender — Cialis from Eli Lilly & Co. and Icos Corp. — is likely

to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration later this year, setting

the stage for a ferocious marketing battle to try to dethrone Viagra, a

brand as well-known as Coca-Cola and Cheerios.

 

Viagra raked in $1.7 billion in sales for Pfizer Inc. last year, and

industry analysts say the potential market is huge.

 

About 32 million American men — about half of men over age 40 — have some

trouble attaining, or maintaining, an erection sufficient for sexual

intercourse, according to urologists. Worldwide, the number is 152 million —

and nine out of every 10 men have not sought treatment.

 

Although no patient studies have been done comparing how the three drugs

stack up against one another, just how long each drug works, and how

quickly, is hotly disputed.

 

Levitra's backers say their orange pill works fast and is highly potent.

 

Viagra boasts a five-year track record, and the confidence of millions of

men.

 

Makers of the yellow Cialis tablet contend it lasts longer than the other

two — maybe the whole weekend — and bet that is what men are looking for.

 

All three pills are sold in Europe and several dozen other areas. And

although Viagra is still No. 1 in sales, the two newcomers are expanding the

number of men getting treatment.

 

London-based Glaxo, with a U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia, and Bayer of

Germany will soon try to win over American men to Levitra (pronounced

luh-VEE-tra). The companies have signed a three-year sponsorship deal with

the NFL. Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka will be a spokesman for

Levitra, according to Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal and

Advertising Age, two trade publications.

 

" A large part of the population we'd like to target are big NFL fans and big

sports fans, " acknowledged David Pernock, Glaxo's senior vice president of

pharmaceutical ads and marketing.

 

" Our competitor Viagra has a deal with Major League Baseball, " he said. " The

concept of heavy marketing during sports activities is a good thing. Guys

watch sports a lot. "

 

All three drugs work by blocking an enzyme called PDE-5, and increasing

blood flow in the penis.

 

However, the three have different biochemical properties, and each offers

advantages, experts say.

 

Glaxo says that Levitra helped some men attain an erection in 16 minutes and

others in 25 minutes, and that Levitra lasts four to six hours, roughly the

time span that Viagra works.

 

Cialis (pronounced see-ALL-iss) claims to work up to 36 hours.

 

In Europe, where Cialis was launched in February, it has been dubbed the

weekend pill — take it once and it lasts all weekend. Levitra was launched

in Europe in March.

 

" Most men tell us they don't like to have sex timed to a pill, " said Lilly

spokeswoman Carole Copeland. " Cialis is allowing men to return to a more

normal type of sex life, to choose the moments when they want to have

intimacy. "

 

But some physicians say having a drug in the body for 24 or 36 hours may not

necessarily be a good thing because all drugs have side effects, even if

mild.

 

Analysts predict the erectile-dysfunction market will grow to $4 billion to

$5 billion by 2006. Viagra is expected to stay in the lead for at least

three years, and reach $2.5 billion in annual sales by 2006, said Mark

Tracey, senior pharmaceutical analyst at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., in

London.

 

Tracey estimates Cialis will hit $1 billion in sales by 2006, and Levitra

will reach $900 million — possibly more than $1 billion — by 2008.

 

James Culverwell, pharmaceutical analyst with Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. in

London, said Levitra will be " at least a $500 million drug " and possibly a

$1 billion drug, within five years.