Amarin Corp Plc (AMRN)

[KCSVEN]

AMRN touched on the fact they would have this advantage but was not clear on a time frame to get that accomplished.

I think its a matter of AMRN helping to educate the insurance companies. The insurance companies have a financial incentive as well since Lovaza has side effects and raises LDL so taking Lovaza over Vascepa will lead to higher overall medical costs due to the side effects so they should want to make the move rapidly as well but insurance companies are not famous for being fast at everything.

If AMRN has a BP partner with very good access to the insurance decision makers would go quicker possibly than AMRN people on their own. Currently if you order Vascepa with many insurance companies they will send you a note suggesting Lovaza because its considered a similar drug and Lovaza is cheaper. I know for my Anthem plan they do that.

Insurance companies should add information so doctors and patients are told that Vascepa is the preferred drug and clarify that for Anchor indication they should not prescribe Lovaza and that should happen pretty fast. Educating the doctors and patients about the change will be a product of advertising and the sales force.

Obviously if a doctor writes a script off label for Lovaza the insurance company is going to fill it first and educate later.

So, how fast it happens is going to be determined by AMRN and there success with insurance companies and success in educating doctors and the public.
NEW scripts will be much easier to be Vascepa over Lovaza. So with 30,000 new scripts of Lovaza currently happenning weekly and if 20,000 are Anchor I would hope AMRN reached 20K in anchor new scripts within 6 months of launch. Added to marine that gives them a shot at 2H 2014 profitability.