For the past couple of years, Wall Street has bet that a forthcoming Pfizer
treatment for rheumatoid arthritis called tofacitinib will become a blockbuster
and, crucially, help the drugmaker overcome the arrival of generic competition
to several of its biggest selling meds. Why are investors so keen about
tofacitinib? The drug would become the first oral biologic for treating this
particular affliction.
To be more specific, recent data indicated the Pfizer pill would offer
similar efficacy to a group of injectable meds
that collectively generate some $13 billion annually for treating
rheumatoid arthritis alone. A pill, however, is more convenient, suggesting
Pfizer can charge a premium and eventually generate some $1.5 billion in annual
sales, according to some estimates.