Derek Lowe, an Arkansan by birth, got his BA from Hendrix College and his PhD in organic chemistry from Duke before spending time in Germany on a Humboldt Fellowship on his post-doc. He's worked for several major pharmaceutical companies since 1989 on drug discovery projects against schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases.
To contact Derek email him directly: derekb.lowe@gmail.com
Twitter: Dereklowe
Nov. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Cholesterol pills Vytorin from Merck & Co. and Lipitor from Pfizer Inc. worked no better than simvastatin, a cheaper generic medicine, at keeping patients out of the hospital for heart attacks or stroke, a study found.
Researchers with UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s pharmacy benefits unit Prescription Solutions analyzed medical claims of 30,000 patients taking one of the three drugs. They found no difference in rates of heart attacks or stroke among the three groups, according to data presented today at the American Heart Association meeting in Orlando, Florida.
The analysis suggests that heart patients may fare just as well by taking the least-expensive cholesterol-lowering pill. Simvastatin costs 84 cents for a 40 milligram dose, compared with $3.91 for the same dosage of Lipitor and $3.74 for Vytorin. A study last year showed that Vytorin worked no better than simvastatin at reopening arteries and a separate study reported this week found that Abbott Laboratories’ Niaspan may be superior to Vytorin in certain patients.
1. HelicalZz on November 18, 2009 1:50 PM writes...
But not the return of Pharmalot?
Zz
Permalink to Comment2. Hap on November 18, 2009 2:16 PM writes...
The post of 12 October points at Pharmalot. I don't know why I can't find it in the blogroll, though.
Permalink to Comment3. Lucifer on November 19, 2009 1:16 AM writes...
Whytorin?
_______________
Vytorin, Lipitor or Generic Are Same in Analysis
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=a43whtMYVui8
Nov. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Cholesterol pills Vytorin from Merck & Co. and Lipitor from Pfizer Inc. worked no better than simvastatin, a cheaper generic medicine, at keeping patients out of the hospital for heart attacks or stroke, a study found.
Researchers with UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s pharmacy benefits unit Prescription Solutions analyzed medical claims of 30,000 patients taking one of the three drugs. They found no difference in rates of heart attacks or stroke among the three groups, according to data presented today at the American Heart Association meeting in Orlando, Florida.
The analysis suggests that heart patients may fare just as well by taking the least-expensive cholesterol-lowering pill. Simvastatin costs 84 cents for a 40 milligram dose, compared with $3.91 for the same dosage of Lipitor and $3.74 for Vytorin. A study last year showed that Vytorin worked no better than simvastatin at reopening arteries and a separate study reported this week found that Abbott Laboratories’ Niaspan may be superior to Vytorin in certain patients.
Permalink to Comment4. Eric Milgram on November 19, 2009 12:30 PM writes...
Thanks for the mention! I'm honored.
Permalink to Comment5. David P on November 19, 2009 4:27 PM writes...
Thanks for adding my blog, Derek! Like Eric, I am honored.
Permalink to Comment