J&J sales and marketing update

Johnson & Johnson announced during its May 26 analyst meeting that it launched prostate cancer drug Zytiga abiraterone acetate in the U.S. FDA approved the product in April for use in combination with prednisone to treat metastatic, castration-resistant prostrate cancer (CRPC) in patients who have received prior docetaxel chemotherapy. The product will cost $5,000 per month, with a median course of therapy of eight months costing $40,000. The drug is an inhibitor of steroidal enzyme 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17, 20 lyase ( CYP17) (see BioCentury, May 2). ...