Effexor To Become Pristiq, Pharma CEOs To Become Forthcoming, Hell Freezes Over

Everyone's favorite anti-depressant Effexor goes off-patent soon but Wyeth, its maker, has a solution. Well, a solution for its bottom line at least. Turn it into a molecularly-similar, but unique and therefore patentable different molecule with the trade name of Pristiq, and then sell that new puppy for depression and hot flashes. High fives all around the research lab, the marketing department, the executive washroom and Wall Street. Much credit to Marissa Miller at depression introspection for staying on this story. CL Psych has a great take on how this is yet another round of ye olde Celexa becomes Lexapro deal, and how docs ought to be a hell of a lot more dubious of re-engineered molecules that weren't such hot shit in the first place.

My take: we've had me-too SSRIs, so what's wrong with equality for SSNRIs? Come on, people, we've got to be fair!

Pharmalot has a nice bit up on how Big Pharma CEOs need to be more honest, forthright and public about problems with their product lines. Somehow, I think Eli Lilly didn't get that memo.

Speaking of which, I hear through the grapevine that Eli Lilly's appearance on Australian Radio National's "All In The Mind" program on Zyprexa was PR duck-and-cover. The program will air this evening on the web US time and again on Sunday. I'll put up links later.