What revenues did Merck and Pfizer earn last year selling Zocor? and
Lipitor?? I encountered a sum of $9 billion U.S. each but I could not
confirm the figure when I looked later.

Hello Morleyevans,

In order to obtain the data you requested I searched the SEC filings
for each company at Hoover?s.
http://www.hoovers.com/


Zocor achieved sales of $5.0 billion in 2003.

Excerpt taken from page 18 of the 10-K filed on March 10, 2004.

?Zocor, Merck?s statin for modifying cholesterol, achieved worldwide
sales of $5.0 billion in 2003, a decline of 8% from 2002. The
implementation of the new U.S. wholesaler distribution program in 2003
unfavorably impacted Zocor sales by approximately $500 million for the
year. In 2003, sales of Zocor were also affected by increased
competition in the statin market and the loss of basic patent
protection in Canada and certain countries in Europe, including the
United Kingdom and Germany. The patent expirations had an unfavorable
impact on the sales comparison to 2002 of 8%. U.S. mail-order-adjusted
prescription levels for Zocor increased by approximately 2% in 2003.?

Source: 
MERCK & CO INC 
10-K filed on 03/10/2004 
Page 18
http://www.hoovers.com/free/co/secdoc.xhtml?ipage=2661194&doc=0&attach=on


Revenues for Lipitor were $ 9,231,000 in 2003 up from $ 7,972,000 in 2002.

Revenues ? Major Pharmaceutical Products 
                      (millions of dollars)   
         2003         2002           2001
Lipitor   $ 9,231     $ 7,972       $6,448     

Source:
PFIZER INC 
10-K filed on 03/10/2004
http://www.hoovers.com/free/co/secdoc.xhtml?ipage=2660025&doc=0&attach=on


The same figures can be found in a Forbes article published on March 15, 2004.

Relevant excerpts:

?Taken alone its effects are so-so, but it is proving to be far more
potent when combined with Merck's $5 billion-a-year Zocor.
(. . .)

?It is the first head-to-head study comparing the new combo with
Pfizer's Lipitor, the world's bestselling drug with $9 billion in
annual revenue.?

Forbes: 03.15.04
http://www.forbes.com/global/2004/0315/030_print.html


I hope this is helpful.

Best regards,
Bobbie7

---

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 25 Nov 2004 06:00 PST

You are correct.

I'm sorry I omitted the three zeros in each figure.

It should read:

Revenues for Lipitor were $ 9,231,000,000 in 2003 up from $ 7,972,000,000 in 2002.

Thank you for a thorough accurate and speedy answer to my question.

Thank you for the five stars and tip!
--Bobbie7

Are the figures in this comment each missing three zeros?

Revenues for Lipitor were $ 9,231,000 in 2003 up from $ 7,972,000 in 2002.

and should read:

Revenues for Lipitor were $ 9,231,000,000 in 2003 up from $ 7,972,000,000 in 2002.

You are correct.

I'm sorry I omitted the three zeros in each figure.

It should read:

Revenues for Lipitor were $ 9,231,000,000 in 2003 up from $ 7,972,000,000 in 2002.