GlaxoSmithKline No. 1 in Half-Year Promotion to Top Managed Care Executives, Cognet~X, Inc. Announces.

Business Editors

FEASTERVILLE---(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2001

GlaxoSmithKline led the pharmaceutical industry in promotion to influential managed care pharmacy directors during the first 6 months of 2001, according to Cognet~X, Inc.'s PAR-Rx (Promotional Assessment Research) Report(TM).

Although total contacts for GSK were down slightly (2%) between the first and second quarters, the corporation did generate the most total contacts during that 2-quarter period.

Among the products that led GlaxoSmithKline's promotional share of voice were the asthma therapy Advair Diskus, the antidepressant Paxil and the oral antidiabetic Avandia. Advair Diskus was the fifth most-promoted product during the first half of this year, PAR~Rx data show. Promotion for Paxil increased modestly; Avandia contacts remained stable.

Interestingly, during the second quarter, GlaxoSmithKline generated 27% fewer contacts that were non-product-specific in nature. Generally, companies use these contacts to build or maintain relationships with their managed care customers. This finding suggests GSK allocated more time for these contacts during the first quarter to re-establish or develop bonds between former Glaxo Wellcome or SmithKline Beecham personnel and their respective customers.

The Johnson & Johnson family of companies placed second, boosted by a 9% in second-quarter promotion, followed by Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer, Inc., which tied for third place. Merck contacts rose by 4% during the second quarter, while Pfizer's declined by 9%.

J&J's Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc. division launched a new Alzheimer's disease therapy, Reminyl, during the second quarter; Reminyl accounted for 26% of Janssen's second-quarter product contacts, PAR~Rx results indicate. Another J&J division, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., focused more second-quarter activity on its quinolone antibiotic, Levaquin, which posted a 66% increase in contacts between the first and second quarters.

Merck maintained the same contact level for its Cox-2 inhibitor, Vioxx, but significantly boosted support for its oral asthma medication, Singulair, up more than 100%. Contacts also rose for the osteoporosis preventive, Fosamax.

Pfizer strengthened support behind the Cox-2 inhibitor Celebrex, which the company co-promotes with Pharmacia Corp., and behind the antihistamine Zyrtec. In addition, according to Cognet~X analysis, Pfizer turned its focus more toward building relationships with managed care pharmacy directors and their organizations. Non-product-specific contacts accounted for 17% of Pfizer's total contacts during the second quarter, a modest increase from 1Q 2001.

Two top-10 corporations generated the same number of contacts during each of the first 2 quarters: fourth-place American Home Products Co. and 10th-place Schering-Plough Corp. In the wake of new competition for each product, AHP's Wyeth-Ayerst division increased support for its proton pump inhibitor, Protonix, as well as the estrogen-replacement therapy Prempro.

Fifth-place Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. posted a 40% jump in contacts between the first and second quarter. Promotion for Novartis' oral antidiabetic agent, Starlix, and its new asthma medication, Foradil Aerolizer, contributed to this increase in Novartis' total promotion.

According to Cognet-X, Inc.'s, the 10 pharmaceutical corporations that most heavily promoted to managed care pharmacy directors during the first 6 months of 2001 are as follows:

1.             GlaxoSmithKline
2.             Johnson & Johnson
3.             Merck & Co., Inc.
3.             Pfizer, Inc.
4.             American Home Products Co.
5.             Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
6.             Abbott Laboratories
7.             Aventis Pharma AG
8.             AstraZeneca PLC
8.             Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
9.             Pharmacia Corp.
10.            Schering-Plough Corp.

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 Robert E. Houghton (extension 101) or Barry Buchowski (extension 103)at 866/cognetx (866/264-6389) or via e-mail at [e-mail] or [e-mail].