Bayer Pharma Starts New Product Cycle

By the year 2000, Bayer's pharmaceutical division plans to havelaunched several new products, with a combined sales potential of around 5 billion Deutschemarks ($2.9 billion), said the company at its results meeting for 1996.

Spearheading the new roll-out will be the lipid-lowerer Lipobay (cerivastatin), just approved in its first market and due for launch next month (Marketletter March 17), and miglitol, a follow-up to Bayer's alpha glucosidase inhibitor Glucobay (acarbose) for diabetes. Bayer is seeking licensees for the latter drug, as it is very similar in profile to acarbose. The key players in the roll-out are:

Sales Potential Drug Indication (million DM) Launch? ------------------------------------------------------ cerivastatin lipid-lowering 700-800 97 metrifonate Alzheimer's 900 98 BAYX1351 sepsis 700 98 BAY12-8039 quinolone 1,500 98/99 BAYU3405 rhinitis 250 - HBY 097 HIV infection 300 - ------------------------------------------------------