Wyeth-Ayerst's Strategic Retreat

Premarin was the drug that would never die. With its patent long-since expired, Wyeth-Ayerst has nonetheless taken advantage of osteoporosis and other studies to promote the hormone-based drug to more than $800 million in worldwide sales. Now it’s co-promoting what my be its own worst enemy, Merck’s Fosamax. It could thereby profit from this important new drug and, by putting together a disease management program that incorporates both drugs, make an ally out of this competitor. Included is a chart of the industry's osteoporosis deals.