Pfizer study bites back against claims generic CV drugs just as effective as branded

Fresh on the heels of a Harvard Medical School meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Marketletter December 8) claiming that generic cardiovascular drugs were just as effective as branded medicines, global drug giant Pfizer has released the results of a study showing a benefit to patients taking its branded Lipitor (atorvastatin) compared to those using the off-patent cholesterol-lowerer simvastatin.

13% comparative CV risk reduction for patients taking Lipitor

Pfizer's observational study examined administrative claims for statin prescriptions filed between January 2003, and December 2005, for patients aged 18-64 years who had no prior statin use or medical claims related to CV disease in the 12 months preceding initiation of statin therapy. Patients taking 17mg of Lipitor had a 13% reduction in the relative risk of experiencing a CV event compared to those treated with 29mg of simvastatin (originated by the USA's Merck & Co as Zocor). The results were published in the December issue of the Proceedings of the Mayo Clinic.