Wyeth Goes for Bargain Price on Replacement for Effexor

Get ready to hear the pitch from your local Wyeth drug rep soon...BD

After Wyeth’s Pristiq took a long, rocky road to approval, the company’s trying to smooth the antidepressant’s path to doctors’ prescription pads with a cut-rate price.
The company said during its earnings call this morning that it will price the antidepressant at a 20% discount to its older blockbuster antidepressant, Effexor XR. Pristiq is derived from Effexor, which could face generic competition in 2010, or sooner. Wyeth’s hope is that sales of Pristiq, which is expected to launch next month, will pick up the slack as generics eat into Effexor. Wyeth SVP Joe Mahady told analysts that Pristiq will sell for a flat $3.41 per tablet for both mid- and high-dose.