So, how long before we see Lipitor XR?

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Lipitor already has a long half-life. There would really be no need for an XR version but hey, this is America and we're all about charging out the ass for useless drugs.
 
Not so sure about XR, maybe ODT? Or make it even simpler, just make a Lipitor Capsule. It's cool though, if you can't afford your medication, Pfiser may be able to help.

Perhaps Lipitor/<whatever anti-hypertensive> combo? Maybe Lipitor/Metformin? Why stop there, Lipitor/ezetimibe anyone? Or if they want to be really clever, Lipitor/Fish Oil. Really the possibilities are endless.
 
ValeUC said:
Lipitor already has a long half-life. There would really be no need for an XR version but hey, this is America and we're all about charging out the ass for useless drugs.
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Yea, I was going to say isn't Lipitor already once a day? ODT would be nice though!!! lol
 
owlegrad said:
Not so sure about XR, maybe ODT? Or make it even simpler, just make a Lipitor Capsule. It's cool though, if you can't afford your medication, Pfiser may be able to help.

Perhaps Lipitor/<whatever anti-hypertensive> combo? Maybe Lipitor/Metformin? Why stop there, Lipitor/ezetimibe anyone? Or if they want to be really clever, Lipitor/Fish Oil. Really the possibilities are endless.
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Lipitor/metformin? 😕
 
owlegrad said:
Perhaps Lipitor/<whatever anti-hypertensive> combo? Maybe Lipitor/Metformin? Why stop there, Lipitor/ezetimibe anyone? Or if they want to be really clever, Lipitor/Fish Oil. Really the possibilities are endless.
Click to expand...

Considering I can count the amount of times I've seen Caduet dispensed on one hand, I doubt they'll head this route.
 
Actually lipitor/fenofibrate wouldn't be too bad. I imagine they'll come up with lipitor/some kind of ARB since both are expensive if brand-name and an ACE or ARB is indicated with a statin for a lot of things.
 
bacillus1 said:
Actually lipitor/fenofibrate wouldn't be too bad. I imagine they'll come up with lipitor/some kind of ARB since both are expensive if brand-name and an ACE or ARB is indicated with a statin for a lot of things.
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And when you consider how often fenofibrate gets reformulated, that wouldn't surprise me either. 🙄 And you know it will be some wonky dose like 16mg atorvastatin/38mg fenofibrate.
 
Fenofibrate is technically not approved to be taken with statins. Together, it increases risk, though you wouldn't think it with all the people taking both drugs. TriCor will go generic next year.
 
They have actually applied to the FDA for Lipitor to be OTC. It won't happen but just shows they are willing to try anything - Pfizer has really gone all out trying to capture revenue these next 6 months. They project 40% over 6 months with all of their efforts, usually when a product goes generic it goes down to ~10%.
 
Argentium said:
They have actually applied to the FDA for Lipitor to be OTC. It won't happen but just shows they are willing to try anything - Pfizer has really gone all out trying to capture revenue these next 6 months. They project 40% over 6 months with all of their efforts, usually when a product goes generic it goes down to ~10%.
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Its because they have cut deals with all the major insurance companies to make the copay on Lipitor less than the generic. FDA is letting Ranbaxy ship the generic starting tomorrow.
 
Bet you will see Desatorvastatin or some analogue with "more" specificity, etc marketed as the new, improved lipitor with a new trade name...
 
Let the clueless continue. They would have done this before the patent expired and started switching people over then.
 
Old Timer said:
Let the clueless continue. They would have done this before the patent expired and started switching people over then.
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It's all in jest. Not only would they likely have already rolled it out, but the other mfgs would have done so when their patents were expiring as well.

I do like Atorvasartan.
 
Argentium said:
They have actually applied to the FDA for Lipitor to be OTC. It won't happen but just shows they are willing to try anything - Pfizer has really gone all out trying to capture revenue these next 6 months. They project 40% over 6 months with all of their efforts, usually when a product goes generic it goes down to ~10%.
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I've heard discussion about Zocor becoming OTC for at least 10 years; statins are OTC, or at least behind the counter, in some European countries.
 
rph3664 said:
I've heard discussion about Zocor becoming OTC for at least 10 years; statins are OTC, or at least behind the counter, in some European countries.
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It is not a disease that can be self-diagnosed or effectively self-treated. It makes no sense as an OTC product. Not that I am saying you are wrong, only that I don't see it happening here.
 
owlegrad said:
It is not a disease that can be self-diagnosed or effectively self-treated. It makes no sense as an OTC product. Not that I am saying you are wrong, only that I don't see it happening here.
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My guess is they're going the Primatene Mist route. You technically should have an asthma diagnosis to buy it, but it is OTC. Monitoring is problematic though.
 
MountainPharmD said:
Its because they have cut deals with all the major insurance companies to make the copay on Lipitor less than the generic. FDA is letting Ranbaxy ship the generic starting tomorrow.
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I don't understand why we have both Watson and Ranbaxy. What happened to 6 month exclusive generic?
 
Lets be realistic... it will combo with Niacin Er, call it Atorvacor. Make a weak research against monotherapy against statin monotherapy or niacin monotherapy, maybe even simcor, have great results (it will probably be an unfair dosage,like Lipitor 20mg vs Simvastatin 20mg). It will be the next big thing, true story.
 
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Or just "reformulate" and come out with different strengths (5, 30, 60?) ala Tricor circa 2005?
 
Watson is a clone. The tablets are literally the same as Lipitor.
 
The efficiency (or at times lack thereof) of our intellectual property rights system in medicine and elsewhere (patent wars anyone?) is a fun source of mockery overlaying a much deeper issue. These sorts of possibilities really require policy reform and not just criticism of drugmakers- they could care less (and this includes the millions of shareholders) and with due reason.

As for Lipitor, right now it looks like Pfizer is looking at more of a pricing strategy than re-releasing similar, but slightly different or combo medication (probably because the potential combos aren't financially viable). http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/h...ts-off-an-aggressive-push-by-pfizer.html?_r=1
 
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