ADHD Drug Most Promoted Prescription Drug to Managed Care Pharmacy Executives, Cognet-X, Inc. Reports.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

FEASTERVILLE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 2003

Eli Lilly & Co.'s new Attention Deficient/Hyperactivity Disorder medication was the prescription drug most heavily promoted to managed care pharmacy directors during the first quarter, according to Cognet-X, Inc. data.

Lilly's Strattera launch, coupled with the arrival of the first generic proton pump inhibitor (omeprazole), was enough to bump a PPI from the most-promoted product position for the first time in three quarters, according to Cognet-X's PAR-Rx (Promotional Assessment Research) Report(TM). The PAR-Rx Report tracks pharmaceutical company promotion to pharmacy directors at the most influential managed care organizations and pharmacy benefit management companies in the country.

While Strattera has been reviewed for formulary inclusion by many managed care organizations, a number have chosen not to give the new product preferred formulary status or not to cover it for reimbursement at all.

According to recent primary research conducted as a value-added service for PAR-Rx Report clients, of the nearly 75 pharmacy executives surveyed, only 51% had already reviewed Strattera for formulary inclusion. Of that smaller group, 63% said their organization opted to place Strattera on the third formulary tier or elected not to include it on their formulary.

A number of respondents cited Strattera's cost as a key factor in their decision to either not to cover the product or to place it on the third and often highest formulary tier.

"Bring down price. It is priced at 18% premium over other existing therapies. Price is higher since not controlled so fewer doctor visits are needed, " one pharmacy executive noted.

Other pharmacy executives said they wanted Lilly to provide them with more comprehensive and longer-term clinical data on the ADHD product, given that such agents are usually subject to long-term usage.

In addition, some pharmacy directors told Cognet-X that Lilly should develop an adult-strength dosage of Strattera, so adult patients need not take two child-strength doses, which potentially doubles the product's cost for adults.

Said one respondent: "To change to a formulary drug, we would need to see more outcomes data and would like to see a higher dose tablet. Adults are using two strengths or BID dosing and this is very expensive."

Although no PPI was the single most promoted drug in the first quarter, PAR-Rx panelists reported that TAP's PPI, Prevacid, was close behind Strattera in second place. Prevacid and Forest Laboratories' antidepressant Lexapro had tied for the most-promoted position during the previous two quarters. Lexapro was the fourth most-promoted brand in the first quarter, just behind Lilly's second product in the top five, the injectable osteoporosis agent, Forteo.

Aventis' antihistamine, Allegra, rounded out the list of top five most-promoted products in the first quarter.

In addition to Eli Lilly, three companies also had two brands among the top 10 most-promoted brands during the first PAR-Rx reporting cycle: Forest (Lexapro and Benicar, co-promoted with Sankyo Pharma), Merck & Co., Inc. (Singulair and Zetia, co-promoted with Schering-Plough Corp.), and Schering-Plough (Zetia and Clarinex).

About the PAR-Rx Report

Cognet-X's PAR-Rx Report is a year-round service that provides the pharmaceutical industry with real-time, Internet-based competitive intelligence on pharmaceutical company promotion to influential managed care pharmacy directors.

The Report offers Cognet-X clients the ability to evaluate and analyze variable differences that are critically important to their decision-making process. The Report collects comprehensive data that can be segmented and analyzed to provide clients with "21st-Century solutions to their 21st-Century challenges."

About Cognet-X

Cognet-X offers the pharmaceutical industry market research, consulting and software development that help companies build and refine their relationships with numerous customer bases, including the managed care community. Based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Cognet-X is privately held and employee-owned.

For more information on the PAR-Rx Report or other valuable Cognet-X products, please contact James A. Barone at 215/396-8300 (extension 102) or Rick Bourland (extension 103) or via e-mail at [e-mail] or [e-mail].