Disappointing sales for Integrilin; analyst

Sales figures for COR Therapeutics' antiplatelet drug Integrilin(eptifibatide) in November 2000, just released by IMS Health, have disappointed analyst Michael King of Robertson Stephens. "Integrilin's growth is slightly slower than expected," he said, adding that he is lowering fourth-quarter 2000 sales estimates to $51 million from $55.8 million as a result. Moreover, he is decreasing his 2001 US sales estimate for the product to $244.5 million from $264 million.

Explaining the reasons for the pessimistic view, Mr King noted that two recent equivocal studies by competitors have caused confusion about glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors as a class, and physicians "are ignoring an overwhelming body of evidence from studies such as PURSUIT, ESPRIT, EPISTENT, EPILOG and PRISM-PLUS."

Mr King does not expect this to have a long-term effect, however, and he notes that COR continues to gain market share, increasing to 29.8% of the IMS dollar market in November. "COR has also been under pressure because of uncertainty about the 180-day ESPRIT data," he added, noting that the weight of scientific evidence is in favor of a positive outcome for this trial.