$heff's $tation of $tocks & $olid DD

[momentum74]

POZN market. WSJ article from a yahoo board poster pasted.
http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_P/threadview?m=tm&bn=14505&tid=28567&mid=28567&tof=2&frt=2


Below is an article from yesterday's WSJ that summarizes recent drug sales in the U.S.

PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE VERY LAST LAST LINE where it states that PPI (proton-pump inhibitors) were 2nd in overall U.S. drug sales in 2009 at a whopping 13.6 Billion!

How about a COX-2 selective NSAID pill that incorporates a PPI?

This drug is called VIMOVO and will absolutely DOMINATE a HUGE market after approval at the end of this month. AstraZeneca is already on board to launch this drug in the U.S. and European markets upon approval.

Read the short article below and HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATBELTS come April 30th cause if you thought SOMX was explosive, well..... You haven't seen ANYTHING yet!

Go SOMX & POZN

›APRIL 2, 2010
By JONATHAN D. ROCKOFF

Spending on prescription drugs topped $300 billion in the U.S. last year, rising 5.1% despite the economic downturn, according to IMS Health. But the rate of growth was at the low end of historical levels, reinforcing the difficulties brand-name drug makers face relying on the U.S. market to increase revenue.

The number of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. also edged higher last year, increasing 2.1% to 3.9 billion, IMS Health reported Thursday. IMS Health collects data from drug makers, pharmacies and other sources and advises companies on health-care trends.

The results underscore the "resilience" of prescription-drug demand in the face of a down economy, said Murray Aitken, a senior vice president at IMS Health. In 2008, the spending rose just 1.8%, only the third time since 1957 the rate of growth was below 5%.

Investors
have traditionally viewed pharmaceutical stocks as good options during down economies, although some companies, such as Merck & Co., said the recent recession was damping sales.

Still, the data pointed to concerns for branded drug makers. The number of prescriptions dispensed for generic drugs rose 5.9% last year, but those for branded drugs declined 7.6%. Of all prescriptions that were dispensed, 75% were for generics last year, up from 57% five years earlier.

Partly because of the rising use of those generic drugs, prescription-drug spending managed to increase overall for the year to $300.3 billion, Mr. Aitken noted.

Drug makers and retailers also encouraged prescription-drug use by offering patients discounts on co-pays and other incentives. Slightly higher prices for certain brand-name treatments also contributed to higher revenue.

IMS Health said that it couldn't specify how much the prices for brand-name drugs increased.

Sales of brand-name drugs are expected to keep rising at relatively low rates in the mid-single digits, Mr. Aitken said. Making matters difficult for brand-name drug makers, several of their top-selling medicines, including Pfizer Inc.'s popular Lipitor, are scheduled to lose patent protection over the next few years.

One sign of the problems ahead for branded drug companies was in the results for cholesterol-fighting drugs. They continued to be the largest class of prescription medicines by prescription volume. But they dropped to third place from second in terms of overall sales, due to rising use of generic versions.

Antipsychotic medicines were the top-selling class of drugs in the U.S. last year, with sales of $14.6 billion. Proton-pump inhibitors were second with sales of $13.6 billion, according to IMS Health.