Lipitor Watch: Pfizer Hangs On To Share, But At What Cost?

As the world enters the seventh week of generic atorvastatin, Pfizer has clearly managed to hang on to more share for the brand than it would have under a more traditional, less aggressive strategy. But there was never anything traditional about Lipitor to begin with, so it remains an open question whether another brand firm could reproduce Pfizer’s success, or even its approach, in the face of an exclusivity loss.

SAN FRANCISCO – The post-Lipitor world is evolving as expected, with the brand retaining 37% to 38% share of total prescriptions, and price discounting in line with other, similar generics launches, according to CEOs of both Pfizer Inc. and Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc.

“It’s difficult to hold on to more than that, due to pressures on pharmacies to substitute [generics],” Pfizer CEO Ian...

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