Sepracor Plans April 4 Lunesta Launch
This article was originally published in The Pink Sheet Daily
Executive Summary
Sepracor will launch the insomnia agent upon same-day publication of the final rule designating Lunesta as a Schedule IV controlled substance. More than 40,000 retail pharmacies already have placed orders for eszopiclone, the company says.
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Sepracor will launch Lunesta (eszopiclone) April 4 following same-day publication of the final rule designating the insomnia agent as a Schedule IV controlled substance. The company expects Lunesta to be available in pharmacies "within days" of launch, Sepracor said April 1. More than 40,000 retail pharmacies have placed orders with wholesalers in anticipation of the launch, Sepracor said. The drug was approved Dec. 15, but launch was delayed pending Drug Enforcement Administration scheduling (1 (Also see "Lunesta Scripts Limited To Five Refills Under Proposed DEA Scheduling" - Pink Sheet, 14 Feb, 2005.)). Sepracor will detail the product with approximately 1,250 sales reps to primary care doctors, psychiatrists and sleep specialists (2 (Also see "Sepracor Insomnia Agent Lunesta Priced At Premuim To Ambien" - Pink Sheet, 16 Dec, 2004.)). Lunesta will compete with market leader Sanofi-Aventis' Ambien (zolpidem). However, Sanofi believes the most significant competition will come from its own follow-on agent, Ambien CR (3 (Also see "Sanofi Not "Desperate" To Improve Ambien Label In Face Of Competition" - Pink Sheet, 21 Mar, 2005.)). - Andrew Shelton |