Replies to post #396581 on Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[boi568]

I have heard an entirely different explanation regarding drug naming.

First, a drug is internally identified by the company along the lines of Anavex2-73. Then it gets its generic name, in this example blarcamesine. Finally, upon approval it receives its slicker commercial name.

It is not changing into the last name to avoid negative associations. Instead, as a drug rep once told my brother who's a doctor, the generic name is actually sometimes selected for its unattractiveness ("blarcamesine" comes to mind). Why? Because one day the IP will run out on the drug, and at that point Anavex gets to keep the cool commercial name while competitors have to use the ugly generic name. For instance, wouldn't you rather be marketing Aricept instead of donepezil?