Pfizer OTC strategy
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Company is "investing in advertising and marketing to reinvigorate our portfolio of leading brands [including] BenGay [and] Plax," Pfizer Exec VP and CFO Henry McKinnell, PhD, commented to securities analysts on Feb. 26. "Further expansion will come through the addition of entire new product lines through our internal research efforts, licensing and acquisitions." Pfizer consumer product sales grew 1% in 1992. In addition, McKinnell suggested that the nonsedating antihistamine Reactine (cetirizine) "may be an interesting candidate" for Rx-to-OTC switch even though the recent relabeling of the other drugs in the class, Marion Merrell Dow's Seldane (terfenadine) and J&J's Hismanal (astemizole), could jeopardize their switch potential. An NDA for prescription marketing of Reactine has been pending at FDA since June 1988.