Pharmaceutical Sales Industry News And Career Information

Feb 18, 2007, Roche Seeks To Defend Kids Against Bird Flu

Swiss drug maker Roche is seeking to provide smaller child-sized capsules of Tamiflu, the medicine governments have been stockpiling as an initial defense against the bird flu virus.

Officials at Roche confirm that they will soon file with the FDA, asking for approval of two smaller capsules -- 30 mg and 45 mg -- to treat children.

Roche says Tamiflu can reduce the severity of flu symptoms by 38 percent and can have an even better impact in reducing secondary complications like bronchitis and pneumonia.

Tamiflu is being stockpiled by governments. The medicine would be a first line of defense until a specific vaccine can be developed to target the mutated strain.

Feb 5, 2007, Sanofi Aventis Buying Bristol-Myers Squibb - Real or Rumor

Rumors about mega Pharmaceutical Sales Companies - Bristol and Sanofi - possibly merging abound. Due to Bristol's controversies over the last few years, many believe it's ripe for the picking!

Why would the swallowing of BMS be a good thing?
Bristol sells Plavix, a Sanofi-invented drug, giving a significant share of profits back to the French drug giant. Sanofi could save money by chopping heads and still make use of experimental drugs for melanoma, kidney transplants and leg clots that Bristol is developing.

Why would the merger be a bad thing?
Sanofi is pushing a philosophy very different from Bristol's, going after big-market blockbuster drugs like Acomplia, which is for obesity. Conversely, Bristol has refocused on medical markets served by specialists like rheumatologists and oncologists. None of these medicines require a major marketing effort by thousands of salespeople.

Also, the merger between Sanofi-Synthelabo and Aventis is not yet three years old. So, time to re-organize and re-strategize is necessary.

By the way, when asked, the interim CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb quickly stated, "We're not for sale".

Feb 5, 2007, Strongest Pharmaceutical Companies and Drugs to Watch - 2007 Outlook

Pharmaceutical Sales Companies will survive, and some will even thrive, in 2007.

Huh? What? Think it sounds crazy that some pharma companies could thrive? Remember, despite the rough year that big pharma experienced (aka management overhauls, failed clinical trials and patent losses) it is still one of the most recession proof industries out there!

Here is a list of the strongest pharma / biotech company projections of 2007, according to top analysts:

1. Genentech (duh!)
2. Amgen (duh, again!)
3. Johnson and Johnson
4. Novartis
5. Wyeth

Now...on to the drugs to watch in 2007. Notice that all listed either relate to diabetes, heart disease, or obesity...meaning true blockbusters if everything goes right.

Keep a lookout for these four:
1. Januvia - Merck's diabetes drug
2. Galvus - Novartis diabetes drug
3. Acomplia - Sanofi Aventis' diabetes & weight loss drug
4. Merck's Zocor combination drug for low cholesterol.

Nov 13, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Career Newsletter, Fast Track To Pharmaceutical Sales!

Pharmaceutical Sales Career Newsletter, Fast Track Your 1st Job in Pharmaceutical Sales, Tips - Great Information for Beginning Your Pharmaceutical Sales Career.

Nov 11, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Brag Book, Interview Portfolio-How to Create, Present, Win!

A Great Pharmaceutical Sales Brag Book is One of the Keys to Interview Success. Utilize Your Pharmaceutical Sales Interview Portfolio as Proof of Career & Educational Success. Here's How -

Jul 24, 2006, Pharma Sales Interview System - How to WIN Pharmaceutical Interviews In 30 DAYS!

Pharma Sales Interview System is a Blueprint for Winning Your First Pharmaceutical Sales Job, Learn Pharmaceutical Sales Closes, How to Detail, Get Brag Book Advice, Interview Questions and Answers!

Jul 9, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Company Giant May Be Ready to Purge Then Binge On a New Company

Jul 9, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Interviews - How to Network, Get Interviews

Pharmaceutical Sales Interviews - Learn The Easy Way of Gaining Interviews - How to Network With Pharmaceutical Reps, Stay Organized, and Get Interviews!

Jul 7, 2006, Merck Has First Ever Cancer Vaccine

The FDA has approved the first vaccine designed to prevent cancer.

Merck's vaccine, Gardasil, works to block HPV - the most common sexually transmitted infection in the USA. Persistent infection with certain HPV types causes virtually all cervical cancers.

It's been approved for use in females, ages 9 through 26.

Merck expects to have the vaccine available by August. It's given in three separate shots over a six-month period.

Jul 1, 2006, May 2006

Jul 1, 2006, June 2006

Jun 29, 2006, test

Jun 23, 2006, Pfizer Dumps Insomnia Treatment

Pfizer's latest bad news is good news for Sepracor. Pfizer has dropped partner Neurocrine Biosciences and its insomnia treatment, Indiplon. Ending a 4 year deal with Pfizer, Neurocrine will reacquire all rights to the sleep aid and will work to bring the once-promising drug to market, all on their own.

Note that in May, the FDA delayed approval of the 5- and 10-milligram versions of the drug and totally rejected the 15-milligram dose.

This is good news for Sepracor and Sanofi-Aventis, who seem to have control of the insomnia market. Sanofi-Aventis markets Ambien, and Sepracor markets Lunesta.

Jun 19, 2006, Merck and Schering Plough Trials Gain New Ground Over Astra Zeneca Cholesterol Market

Merck and Schering-Plough announced a study on 6/18/2006 revealing their combination drug Vytorin is better (56% compared to 54%) at lowering cholesterol than competing drug Crestor from AstraZeneca. Both were found to be equally beneficial in raising good cholesterol.

Vytorin is a combo of two cholesterol drugs - Merck's Zocor and Schering-Plough's Zetia. And, this happens to be great timing and great news for Merck, as Zocor's patent is set to expire on June 23.

Jun 19, 2006, New Class of HIV Drugs Create Safety Concerns

What's different about this new class of drugs than previous treatments? These drugs represent a shift in the fight against HIV, since they don't target the virus itself.

The new class of drugs blocks a secondary, but crucial, doorway typically used by the human immunodeficiency virus to enter cells in the body. Researchers state that people who lack a working version of that doorway, called a receptor, are, at best, highly resistant to infection by HIV and, at worst, slow to develop AIDS once infected.

However, here's the problem...the drugs attack key white blood cells that play an important role in the immune system. Scientists are worried the drugs could accelerate a shift from one variant of HIV to a second, which is most often seen in the sickest AIDS patients. Also worrisome, researchers don't yet know the long-term health effects of the drugs. Some of the drugs have been linked to liver problems and cancer.

GlaxoSmithKline, Schering Plough and Pfizer have all had problems recently with this new class of drugs...2 of the drugs have been linked to liver damage, and another to lymphoma.

The FDA is asking pharmaceutical companies to engage in long-term testing on this new class of drugs to ensure safety and efficacy.

Jun 1, 2006, Vaccine Market Getting Hotter: Pharmaceutical Companies Take Notice

Vaccine research is hot, due to the fear of pandemics. And units such as Novartis' Chiron (bought in April 2006 by Novartis) are where the action is!

Vaccines have been previously neglected by pharmaceutical companies due to low profit margins. But now, thanks to the emergence of avian flu and other new viruses -- plus improved technology and better economics -- vaccines are becoming the global drug industry's next hot sector.

Analysts believe that the vaccine market will grow much faster than the market for prescription drugs. "We're in a period where pharmaceutical sales are growing at 5% to 6% a year," says Novartis Chief Executive Daniel Vasella. "In contrast, the vaccine industry is looking at nearly 20% annual growth over the next five years."

It's a dramatic about-face for a neglected sector of the giant global drug industry.

May 23, 2006, Johnson and Johnson Gets New Approval for Remicade

Johnson and Johnson's Remicade has received FDA approval to treat children with active Crohn's disease, a chronic, inflammatory condition of the bowel that can be severely debilitating.

Remicade was initially approved in 1998 to treat Crohn's disease in adults.
Remicade is not a cure, but it provides a much-needed option for reducing the symptoms and inducing and maintaining disease remission in children who have no other safe and effective therapy, said Dr Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Apr 29, 2006, Biopharmaceutical Companies Increase Number of Drugs to Treat Rare Diseases

In the past decade (1995-2005), biopharmaceutical companies have developed over 160 drugs to treat rare, or "orphan", diseases which affect fewer than 200,000 Americans. This number is up from 108 the decade before (1984-1994) and just 10 in the 1970s.

Why are more medicines being approved for rare diseases?

Advances in science have brought a greater understanding of diseases and opened up new ways to fight these diseases. Also, increased investment in research and development across the biopharmaceutical industry has made more resources available.

Apr 25, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales E Detailing and E Sampling, The Future of Pharma Sales

Will Pharmaceutical Sales Reps become Obsolete? Doubtful, but the signs are clear: e-detailing and e-sampling are something doctors are interested in and that the pharmaceutical industry can use to build stronger physician, and even patient, relationships.

Apr 25, 2006, Pfizer and Boehringer Conduct E Detail Pilot

Score another point for e-detailing: Pfizer and Boehringer conducted an e-detail pilot for Spiriva in Denmark to gauge the (post-detailing) attitudes of pharmaceutical sales reps and physicians.

Ninety-seven percent (97%) of the physicians felt the e-detail was superior to paper-based details for explaining complex issues and 95% rated the presentations as good or very good. And 80% recommended the companies continue with their e-detailing efforts.

The results of the pilot were equally positive among reps, who found the e-details easy to use and navigate. Eighty percent (80%) of rep participants said the e-details allowed them to get more face time with physicians and 60% said it made it easier to sell.

Apr 20, 2006, April 2006

Apr 19, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Giants - So Far, So Good in 2006

Remember way back in 2005, when Big Pharma was the whipping boy, but biotech stocks were so hot they could do no wrong?

Well, the tables have turned in 2006. Sort of.

Pharmaceutical Sales Giants have gained slightly thus far this year, up 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, biotech shares have dropped 4.6 percent during the same period.

Mar 31, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Industry 2005 and 2006 - Why This is A Great Career Choice!

Interesting Forbes article that discusses the Worlds Top 10 also details a positive outlook for the pharmaceutical sales industry.

Why is a pharmaceutical sales career a stable choice?
Note the following:

Mar 31, 2006, World's Pharmaceutical Top 10

The pharmaceutical sales king, Pfizer, remains #1 as cholesterol pill, Lipitor, continues as the best-selling drug in the world for the fifth year in a row. Next closest competitors include Plavix, the blood thinner from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis; Nexium, the heartburn pill from AstraZeneca; and Advair, the asthma inhaler from GlaxoSmithKline.

Click for the slideshow....

Mar 27, 2006, March 2006

Mar 4, 2006, U.S. Pharmaceutical Companies Allowed to Hurry Drugs to Market

U.S. Government regulators often allow U.S. pharmaceutical companies expedited approval to put their drugs on the market in exchange for a promise to continue studying their safety and effectiveness thru post-marketing studies.

The outcome of those studies can lead to changes in how a drug is made, prescribed and used.

Those studies haven't begun in two-thirds of cases, the U.S. government reported Friday. The Food and Drug Administration said Friday drug companies pledged to conduct 1,231 drug studies. But as of Sept. 30, 65% were still pending.

Mar 1, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales In America...Top 20 Drugs

Do you have a pharmaceutical sales interview coming up in the next few weeks? Check-out this list and determine whether your company has a top 20 drug.

Pfizer has 3 in the top 20, but biotech powerhouse, Amgen, is coming on strong with 4 drugs in the top 20. Also, note how many of the drugs are in the cardiovascular therapeutic area, and cholesterol drugs in particular. This is a hot market, especially with Pfizer's Lipitor facing generic competition and Merck's Zocor losing patent protection.

Feb 8, 2006, Pharmaceutical Sales Industry Research Site

Incredible source of information for researching pharmaceutical sales, medical device, and biotech companies, as well as therapeutic areas. Also, contains current pharmaceutical industry headlines.

Feb 3, 2006, February 2006

Feb 1, 2006, January 2006