MGI's plan to grab market
When MGI Pharma Inc. launches its Aloxi palonosetron in September, the compound will be the fourth serotonin (5-HT3) antagonist on the market to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting - an indication with only moderate expected growth. Thus, MOGN's marketing strategy for Aloxi involves taking market share from the three other drugs: the company aims to capture a quarter of the U.S. market for 5-HT3 antagonists by Aloxi's fourth year on the market. To do so, MOGN's 80-member oncology sales force will be highlighting Aloxi's broad label and data from two Phase III trials in which it performed significantly better than the two top-selling competitors.
In June, MOGN and partner Helsinn Healthcare S.A. (Lugano, Switzerland) presented data from a Phase III trial (study 99-03) in which significantly more patients receiving palonosetron achieved a complete response (the primary endpoint) than patients receiving 0.32 mg of ondansetron (see BioCentury, June 9). Last year, the company's study 99-04 showed an improved complete response rate compared to dolasetron. ...