MERRELL DOW's SELDANE JUNE SALES TO RETAILERS TOP $2 MIL

Executive Summary

MERRELL DOW's SELDANE JUNE SALES TO RETAILERS TOP $2 MIL on the basis of 161,000 total Rxs written during the month for the nonsedative antihistamine, Pharmaceutical Data Services (PDS) reported in its just-released July Alpha Gram. After generating 16,000 new prescriptions during the last few days of May following FDA approval on May 8, Seldane's June new prescriptions totalled 146,000, according to PDS figures. PDS showed Seldane (terfenadine) sales at $217,000 (at retail acquisition cost) in May and at $2.1 mil. in June. "Seldane, already the number one single entity allergy product in Europe, appears to be headed in the same direction in the U.S.," PDS commented. "In June, Seldane catapulted to the number two position in terms of total U.S. retail prescriptions dispensed and sales dollars in the single entity prescription antihistamine U.S. retail market." The preliminary figures indicate that Merrell Dow may now have its second successful market launch in two years. According to PDS data for 1984, the firm's Rx chewing gum Nicorette was the most successful product launch of last year with $34.4 mil. in sales (at retail acquisition cost) in just ten months. Seldane, indicated for the symptomatic relief of seasonal allergic rhinitis, is the first non-sedating antihistamine to reach the market in the U.S. Several other firms have nonsedative antihistamine agents reach the market in the U.S. Several other firms have nonsedative antihistamine agents under development, including J&J (Hismanal) and Robins (mequitazine).