Johnson & Johnson MSD's Zocor Heart-Pro, the world's first statin available through a pharmacy has been launched in the UK and sales have reportedly already exceeded expectations.

Pharmacies are anticipating selling such high volumes that J&J MSD is understood to have already hit its annual sales target with just one large-scale pre-ordered purchase from one of the leading national chains.

The drug's launch at the end of July was widely anticipated since the government first announced the plans in October last year, and while pharmacist bodies and charities such as Heart UK have endorsed Zocor Heart-Pro, other groups such as the Royal College of General Practitioners have maintained their opposition.

A recent report by the British Heart Foundation found that despite falling over the last 30 years, the UK death rate from coronary heart disease is still one of the highest in Western Europe - only Finland and Ireland have slightly higher rates. This means a man of working age in the UK is more than twice as likely to die from CHD as in Italy.

Against this background, the government has backed the revolutionary switch, and says Zocor Heart-Pro's launch will make it far more accessible to people who would otherwise not seek it out through their doctor.

Zocor (simvastin) was the biggest selling prescription drug in the UK last year, and following its patent expiry, availability of cheap generic versions means it remains one of the cornerstones of the NHS' war on heart disease.

Companies with an interest in the POM cholesterol-lowering market will be watching the switch very closely for any sign of an impact on prescription sales, spending on statins costing the health service £700 million in 2003.

Pfizer, manufacturer of Lipitor, currently the biggest selling POM statin has most to lose if Zocor Heart-Pro reduced demand on the prescription side, but most analysts predict the switch will actually boost prescription sales as it raises awareness.

Zocor Heart-Pro is recommended for people currently at moderate risk, representing a one in ten to one in seven chance of a heart attack in the next ten years making up about 7.4 million people in the UK.

The sub-groups at moderate risk includes all men over 55, men aged 45 to 54 and women aged 55 plus with one risk factor. The risk factors are being overweight, having a family history of early heart disease, being a smoker (current or within last five years) or being of South Asian origin - groups all identified in J&J MSD's promotional materials.

Tim O'Donoghue, a pharmacist at Green Light Pharmacy in London who took part in pilot studies for the drug said the launch was a great opportunity for the pharmacists to develop as healthcare professionals and enhance their role in the NHS.

"For the first time pharmacists have the opportunity to play a prominent role in the management of a chronic condition and help in the fight against the UK's number one killer disease.

"This new category offers pharmacists the chance to develop long-term customer relationships by providing greater support services and new and innovative products. This is a landmark switch and one that could change the pharmacy arena forever."

One issue frequently raised by critics of the POM-P switch is pharmacists' inability to access patient records and to directly inform the patient's doctor of the purchase, instead having to rely on the patient to pass on the information, but the government and the MHRA have been reassured that adequate safeguards are in place, largely through the approved patient protocol in which J&J have trained pharmacists.

Another concern is that without the more formal structure of the visit to the GP, Zocor Heart-Pro - which should be a medication for life - will be dogged by poor

compliance.

O'Donoghue said: "We can only speculate before a few months go by, but I suspect those who choose to invest in their health with this drug will be committed to it at least as much as someone who remembers to take a multivitamin every day."

Research conducted for the launch by market research company TNS of men and women in the target group seems to confirm this impression.

Ninety-six percent of the 260 people interviewed did not realise their risk of heart attack could be higher than one in ten over the next ten years but 81% would be willing to make changes to their lifestyle if their risk was as high as one in seven.

Seventy percent of interviewees said they would buy medication from a pharmacist on a long-term basis to reduce their risk of a heart attack.

Johnson & Johnson MSD has maintained that the use of the pharmacy protocol in assessing a patient's risk, along with the drug's risk/benefit profile means a

cholesterol test is not necessary.

Despite this consumer demand - and a test's ability to spur a purchase of the drug where appropriate - J&J MSD has also launched its own cholesterol testing service, along with rival products from pharmacy chains.

The launch of the drug represents a milestone for the pharmacy sector, which is undergoing a revolution in its place in healthcare provision, and competition has stepped up a gear with the launch.

The manufacturer's recommended retail price for one month supply of Heart-Pro is £12.99, but the national chains instantly declared a price war, Co-op slashing its price to £9.79, while Asda pharmacies are charging just £8.98, hoping to win a large share of the long-term purchasers of the drug from the outset.

Pharmacists are not permitted to personally promote the availability of the drug to prospective patients, and are only allowed to suggest it as an option when a conversation arises about heart health.

They are, however, permitted to promote awareness among at-risk groups and a number of initiatives have already been launched, including visits by pharmacists to pubs and community centres.

A number of competing brands of simvastatin are expected to appear over the coming months, including a version from Boots, who have invested heavily in promoting its cholesterol testing service with a six-week TV campaign featuring England rugby hero Jonny Wilkinson.

External link:

J&J MSD's consumer website: www.heartpro.co.uk

Related links:

Zocor approved for sale over-the-counter 

Friday , May 14, 2004

pharmafocus@pharmafile.co.uk