Total US Prescriptions For Sanofi's Lantus Rose Last Week
By Peter Loftus, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
In the wake of new safety concerns about the drug, total U.S. prescription
volume for Lantus, Sanofi-Aventis SA's (SNY) diabetes drug, inched up 2% last
week versus the week before, but new prescriptions were down 3.8%, according to
a drug-data provider.
Analysts have predicted that recent safety concerns about Lantus could hurt
the drug's prescription volume, but last week's mixed picture suggests it might
take several more weeks of data to establish a clearer trend.
Also, it's possible that recommendations by U.S. and European health
authorities that Lantus users continue to take the drug have mitigated the
impact of the June 26 publication of European studies that raised the
possibility Lantus increases the risk of cancer. Health authorities have
suggested the data are inconclusive, and Sanofi has said there is no clear
evidence of a cancer risk.
According to SDI Health of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., total U.S. prescriptions for
Lantus rose to 182,431 for the week ended July 3, versus 178,697 prescriptions
in the week ended June 26. Total prescriptions comprise new prescriptions plus
refills. New prescriptions last week dropped to 55,867 from 58,046 the week
before.
Both new and total prescriptions for Lantus have fluctuated over the past 10
weeks. Total weekly prescriptions have ranged between 173,000 and 197,400 in
that period, while new prescriptions have been between 54,000 and 63,000 weekly.
A Sanofi spokeswoman couldn't immediately be reached Monday.
Paris-based Sanofi recorded EUR2.45 billion ($3.4 billion at today's exchange
rates) in 2008 sales for Lantus. Sanofi's American depositary shares have fallen
about 10% since news of the negative studies began leaking out in June. The ADS
rose Monday 2% to $30.29.
-By Peter Loftus, Dow Jones Newswires; 215-656-8289; peter.loftus@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
07-06-091629ET
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