Fw: Arthritis drugmakers hit

[Guest guest]

FYI, for those on these Rx Drugs, or considering them.

CAUTION!!!

MM / NSIF

----- Original Message ----- From: ParfumGigi@...

MAM-NSIF@... ; IceMaidenZ@... ; lillian45usa2000@...

Cc: SBIPrayerForum

Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 10:39 PM

Subject: Arthritis drugmakers hit

Arthritis drugmakers hit Merck, Pharmacia fall after study links Vioxx, Celebrex with heart attack risk August 22, 2001: 2:10 p.m. ET NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Shares of Merck & Co. and Pharmacia Corp. remained lower Wednesday after a study linked the companies' popular arthritis drugs to increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. Merck, which makes Vioxx, and Pharmacia , which makes Celebrex, the world's third- and ninth-largest drugmakers respectively, both were in negotiations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on a new label for these medicines. The new label is expected to help them gain more market share from older pain medicines like aspirin and ibuprofen, and put an end to the debate over the effectiveness of their drugs, members of a class of drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. Wall Street analysts said the study by top cardiovascular researcher Topol, who chairs the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, will fuel the argument, threatening already slowing sales of the drugs. "With a study like this coming from someone like Topol, the debate becomes more apparent to physicians and consumers," analyst of Sanford Bernstein said. "I think the average physician now will be more circumspect about writing prescription for these drugs, and your average consumer will be less likely to ask for the drug from their doctor," he said. Both Merck and Pharmacia have posted slowing sales growth for Vioxx and Celebrex recently, as some insurers have refused to reimburse patients for them, opting instead for much cheaper conventional pain and arthritis treatments. Analyst Hemant Shah of HKS & Co. called Topol's study a "very important event in the life of -2" drugs, which block the enzyme of that name that interferes with the production of chemical messengers that cause the pain and inflammation. "I had expected very moderate growth at best over the next 12 months for -2 drugs," he said. "I now conclude that there will be no growth, and these drugs will start to lose market share to older generics like ibuprofen, and sales will begin to decline. That will be the best case scenario," he said. But Carl E. Byrnes, research analyst with Dain Rauscher Wessels, said in a research note he did not believe the new analysis will significantly impact prescribing patterns in the near term. Byrnes noted the studies "from which the placebo results were obtained used entirely different patient population, likely to have different cardiovascular risk factors than patients" in the Vioxx and Celebrex studies. He added that an FDA advisory committee examined data in February and while cardiovascular safety was "an acknowledged concern," no major labeling changes were recommended.

Study cites heart attack risk

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic said in the study that available data regarding the arthritis drugs, which are expected to reach $6 billion in sales this year, raise "a cautionary flag about the risk of cardiovascular events with (these drugs)." They called for a trial specifically assessing cardiovascular risk and benefit the COX-2 inhibitors. The drugs were developed to fight often disabling arthritis inflammation without the stomach problems that can accompany aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Merck and Pharmacia, based in Peapack, disagreed with the findings, saying patient experience and other data showed they were safe. The study said the drugs also may promote the formation of clots in blood vessels by decreasing production of a compound that promotes the widening of those vessels. Pharmacia is seen as having the biggest risk to a COX-2 sales slowdown because Celebrex is its biggest driver. Celebrex accounted for $710 million of Pharmacia's $5.4 billion revenue in the second quarter. Merck's Vioxx accounted for $725 million of its $11.9 billion quarterly revenue. "Vioxx is a big driver for Merck, but they have other drugs there that are still growing well, so it may have less of an impact. Pfizer, which co-promotes Celebrex, can weather the storm pretty well," said Mark Ravera of Mehta Partners. As long as the clouds remain on the horizon for the COX-2 drugs, analysts see continued weight on the stocks. "Until we see some resolution of these issues, I think Merck and Pharmacia's stock will remain under pressure," HKS's Shah said. Peace, truth, and research now, gigi. http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2001/08/22/companies/merck/

[Guest guest]

I had access to this info back in June when I was in

ton. Actually, my best friend in Denver, who is

also a RN, told me about it. Her OB/GYN refuses to rx

Celebrex or Vioxx unless the older NSAIDS have not

worked. I was worried about this info since I have

taken both Celebrex and Vioxx, and have a previous hx of

heart problems. Plus, my father had a massive MI

several yrs ago, so I am already predisposed to having

an MI. Scary!!

e

> FYI, for those on these Rx Drugs, or considering them.

> CAUTION!!!

> MM / NSIF

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: ParfumGigi@...

> MAM-NSIF@... ; IceMaidenZ@... ; lillian45usa2000@...

> Cc: SBIPrayerForum

> Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 10:39 PM

> Subject: Arthritis drugmakers hit

>

>

> Arthritis drugmakers hit

>

> Merck, Pharmacia fall after study links Vioxx, Celebrex with heart attack risk

>

> August 22, 2001: 2:10 p.m. ET

>

> NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Shares of Merck & Co. and Pharmacia Corp. remained lower

> Wednesday after a study linked the companies' popular arthritis drugs to

> increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems.

>

> Merck, which makes Vioxx, and Pharmacia , which makes Celebrex, the world's

> third- and ninth-largest drugmakers respectively, both were in negotiations

> with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on a new label for these medicines.

>

> The new label is expected to help them gain more market share from older pain

> medicines like aspirin and ibuprofen, and put an end to the debate over the

> effectiveness of their drugs, members of a class of drugs called COX-2

> inhibitors.

>

> Wall Street analysts said the study by top cardiovascular researcher

> Topol, who chairs the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland

> Clinic, will fuel the argument, threatening already slowing sales of the

> drugs.

>

> " With a study like this coming from someone like Topol, the debate becomes

> more apparent to physicians and consumers, " analyst of Sanford

> Bernstein said.

>

> " I think the average physician now will be more circumspect about writing

> prescription for these drugs, and your average consumer will be less likely

> to ask for the drug from their doctor, " he said.

>

> Both Merck and Pharmacia have posted slowing sales growth for Vioxx and

> Celebrex recently, as some insurers have refused to reimburse patients for

> them, opting instead for much cheaper conventional pain and arthritis

> treatments.

>

> Analyst Hemant Shah of HKS & Co. called Topol's study a " very important event

> in the life of -2 " drugs, which block the enzyme of that name that

> interferes with the production of chemical messengers that cause the pain and

> inflammation.

>

> " I had expected very moderate growth at best over the next 12 months for

> -2 drugs, " he said. " I now conclude that there will be no growth, and

> these drugs will start to lose market share to older generics like ibuprofen,

> and sales will begin to decline. That will be the best case scenario, " he

> said.

>

> But Carl E. Byrnes, research analyst with Dain Rauscher Wessels, said in a

> research note he did not believe the new analysis will significantly impact

> prescribing patterns in the near term.

>

> Byrnes noted the studies " from which the placebo results were obtained used

> entirely different patient population, likely to have different

> cardiovascular risk factors than patients " in the Vioxx and Celebrex studies.

>

> He added that an FDA advisory committee examined data in February and while

> cardiovascular safety was " an acknowledged concern, " no major labeling

> changes were recommended.

>

>

>

> Study cites heart attack risk

>

>

>

> Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic said in the study that available data

> regarding the arthritis drugs, which are expected to reach $6 billion in

> sales this year, raise " a cautionary flag about the risk of cardiovascular

> events with (these drugs). " They called for a trial specifically assessing

> cardiovascular risk and benefit the COX-2 inhibitors.

>

> The drugs were developed to fight often disabling arthritis inflammation

> without the stomach problems that can accompany aspirin and other

> anti-inflammatory drugs.

>

>

>

>

> Merck and Pharmacia, based in Peapack, disagreed with the findings, saying

> patient experience and other data showed they were safe.

>

> The study said the drugs also may promote the formation of clots in blood

> vessels by decreasing production of a compound that promotes the widening of

> those vessels.

>

> Pharmacia is seen as having the biggest risk to a COX-2 sales slowdown

> because Celebrex is its biggest driver.

>

> Celebrex accounted for $710 million of Pharmacia's $5.4 billion revenue in

> the second quarter. Merck's Vioxx accounted for $725 million of its $11.9

> billion quarterly revenue.

>

> " Vioxx is a big driver for Merck, but they have other drugs there that are

> still growing well, so it may have less of an impact. Pfizer, which

> co-promotes Celebrex, can weather the storm pretty well, " said Mark Ravera of

> Mehta Partners.

>

> As long as the clouds remain on the horizon for the COX-2 drugs, analysts see

> continued weight on the stocks.

>

> " Until we see some resolution of these issues, I think Merck and Pharmacia's

> stock will remain under pressure, " HKS's Shah said.

>

>

>

> Peace, truth, and research now,

> gigi.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2001/08/22/companies/merck/

>

>

>