Cell Pathways/Aventis Nilandron

Executive Summary

Cell Pathways will promote prostate cancer therapy nilutamide to urologists with a 13-rep sales force beginning Sept. 5 under agreement with Aventis. The reps will be Cell Pathways employees but are being hired and trained by Quintiles' contract sales division Innovex. Cell Pathways said it is also developing a sales force targeting managed care organizations. Nilandron has been available since 1996 but Aventis never promoted the product, Cell Pathways said. Nilandron will be Cell Pathways' first marketed product; the firm's familial adenomatous polyposis therapy Aptosyn (exisulind) is under review at FDA with a user fee goal date of Sept. 25. Cell Pathways plans to use the 13 reps to market Aptosyn and to add 31 sales reps dedicated to promoting Aptosyn to GI specialists following approval